From The Rio Times · Mateo Cruz · · 3m
Jamaica Ex-PMs Urge UN Cuba Vote
Ten former Caribbean leaders demand UN vote against US Cuba embargo on 28 Oct.
In brief
Ten former Caribbean leaders demand UN vote against US Cuba embargo on 28 Oct. Ten former Caribbean leaders signed a letter urging nations to vote against US Cuba embargo at UN General Assembly vote on 28 October 2026. Originally reported by The Rio Times.
Key Facts
Ten former Caribbean leaders, including Jamaica’s ex-prime ministers Bruce Golding and P.J. Patterson, signed an open letter dated Saturday, 24 October, urging all nations to vote against the US embargo on Cuba.
Why it matters
The UN General Assembly votes on Wednesday, 28 October, and the yes vote fell to 165 last year from 187 in 2024, so the size of the result will be watched in Washington.
The numbers
The 2025 vote was 165 in favour, 7 against and 12 abstentions. The letter says the UN has passed the resolution every year since 1992, and The Gleaner dates the embargo to October 1960.
Who is who
Golding and Patterson are former prime ministers of Jamaica; the other signers led Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, St Lucia and St Vincent. None holds office, so the letter is not a government position.
What to watch
The vote on Wednesday, 28 October, and whether Jamaica and its CARICOM partners again vote yes.
Prediction markets
Polymarket gives 11.5% to a US and Cuba economic deal by 31 December (26 October, 4:10 a.m. ET).
What it means for you
For US readers, the vote shows how widely close Caribbean neighbours oppose US sanctions on Cuba, including, the letter says, penalties on fuel shippers. The resolution is not binding on Washington.
What the Open Letter Says
The embargo is a set of US economic, commercial and financial sanctions on Cuba. The letter, addressed to all nations, calls US actions against Cuba contrary to international law.
Who Signed the Open Letter
Freundel Stuart was prime minister of Barbados, and Dean Barrow and Said Musa led Belize.Keith Mitchell and Tillman Thomas were prime ministers of Grenada, and Donald Ramotar was president of Guyana.
How the UN Vote Has Gone
Last year the resolution passed on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, by 165 votes to 7, with 12 abstentions. The 2024 vote was 187 to 2, with one abstention.
Cuba’s Case Before the Vote
Rodríguez said on 7 September that the embargo cost Cuba US$8.083 billion between March 2025 and February 2026. That figure is Havana’s own estimate and is 7% above the previous year’s.
What Comes Next
The General Assembly votes on Wednesday, 28 October, and the tally will show whether support holds at 165. Last year’s yes vote was 22 below the 2024 total.
What It Means for US Readers
The vote is a public test of US sanctions policy, because the resolution asks Washington to end the embargo. The size of the yes vote will be read as a measure of US influence.
The essence
Ten former Caribbean leaders signed a letter urging nations to vote against US Cuba embargo at UN General Assembly vote on 28 October 2026.
