Havana, October 18 (RHC)-- Crowds of young people gathered in Havana and major cities across the island this Monday to protest the permanence of the U.S. policy of blockade against Cuba. A subject that generates nation-wide rejection, the blockade was heavily criticized in these youth rallies, which were accompanied by a Twitter campaign of denunciation of the U.S. anti-Cuba circle.

“I’m voting against the blockade because I was born under its whip and existence is harder for me every day because of this arbitrary policy,” wrote a student in Twitter. “I’m voting against the blockade because the U.S. only wants to protect the rights of those Cubans who serve its interests,” wrote another.

At the University of Havana, the crowd listened to comments by Josefina Vidal, director general for United States in the Cuban Foreign Ministry.  Vidal noted that President Barack Obama will soon be leaving office but the U.S. blockade against Cuba would still remain in place.

Youth rallies also took place at universities in Matanzas, Villa Clara, Camaguey, Santiago de Cuba, and other cities.

The protests came in prelude of a vote at the U.N. General Assembly next week, in which the U.N. body will consider a Cuba-sponsored resolution on the need for the U.S. to end its policy of blockade. 

For over 25 years now, the UN has overwhelmingly supported Cuba in its demand.  Last year, 2015, only the U.S. and Israel voted in favor of the permanence of the blockade; 191 nations asked that the anti-Cuba policy be ended.