White House might not vote against annual U.N. Cuba embargo censure, AP reports

Cuban leader Raul Castro walks with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon
(Image credit: Orlando Barria/AFP/Getty Images)

For the 24th year in a row, Havana will introduce a nonbinding measure condemning the U.S. embargo of Cuba at the United Nations General Assembly. Once more, the resolution will be approved by large margins — in 2014, it passed 188 to 2, with only the U.S. and Israel voting against it. This year, the Obama administration is considering abstaining from the vote for the first time, The Associated Press reports, citing unidentified U.S. officials.

The Obama White House has urged Congress to scrap the 54-year-old embargo, given thawing relations with Cuba that publicly began last December (after the last U.N. vote). The Republican-led Congress has balked. And failing to vote against the embargo censure would cause ripples among lawmakers. Still, as of now, the U.S. will more likely vote against the measure once more — a calculus that could change if Cuba significantly modifies its resolution.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.