New York, October 31 (RHC)-- For the 27th consecutive year, the United Nations General Assembly is debating a Cuban-sponsored draft resolution on the “Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Blockade Imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.”

U.S. representatives at the UN have resorted to blackmail and pressure to try to influence the vote of sovereign nations, which for 26 years in a row have sided with Cuba against Washington's coercive measure. 

As Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodríguez charged recently, the U.S. State Department introduced eight amendments to the Cuban-sponsored draft resolution, which should be debated and voted on, prior to the vote on the draft resolution against the blockade. 

Bruno told the press on Tuesday in New York that the introduction of these amendments by Washington, seek to generate confusion amongst UN member states, since if adopted, these amendments would change the whole essence of the draft resolution against Washington's blockade. 

During Wednesday's General Assembly session, senior representatives of regional organizations, blocs and national governments took the floor to express their support for the Cuban-sponsored draft resolution.

The permanent representative of El Salvador said the U.S. blockade contravenes the spirit of the proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace.  Speaking on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Salvadorian diplomat expressed the bloc's rejection of the U.S. Cuba policy, particularly its extraterritorial nature. 

The representative of Egypt also spoke on behalf of the Group of 77 plus China (G77+China).  He noted that for many years Cuba has contributed its assistance to nations and peoples in need all over the world in times of natural disasters, environmental crisis, and has also collaborated with those nations in the health and other sectors.

The permanent representative of Morocco took the floor on behalf of the African Group.  He said the U.S. blockade policy on Cuba is unjustifiable, pledging African Group's unwavering support for the UN draft resolution urging its repeal.

The permanent representative of Namibia also took the floor, calling the U.S. blockade policy a gross violation of the Cuban people's right to food, health, culture and development.

The representative of The Bahamas spoke at the General Assembly debate on the draft resolution urging the lifting of the U.S. blockade of Cuba, speaking on behalf the 14 members of the Caribbean Community CARICOM.

Following the speeches in favor of Cuba's annual resolution, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez told teleSUR:  

“All through the morning, we have been witnessing a saber rattling, a permanent albeit not public procedural skirmish, because the State Department has been trying to impose the United States discourse by means of introducing amendments and interrupting the general debate, aimed at forcing the consideration of the amendments not at the end as it should be, not after the address by Cuba as as it should be, not after the formal presentation of the resolution, which has not taken place yet, but before, because in an infantile attitude, the United States has been trying to impose speaking after Cuba does.  Luckily, I understand that what’s established has prevailed, reason has prevailed, justice has prevailed, so that tomorrow at 10 am in the plenary of the General Assembly, the debate will conclude, Cuba will speak as part of those still to use the floor, and then the voting will take place.