Previous posts provided details about the U.N. General Assembly’s October 30, 2024, overwhelming adoption of a resolution condemning the U.S. embargo of Cuba, including the brief remarks at that session of U.S. Deputy Ambassador Paul Folmsbee, as well as some criticisms of that resolution.[1]
This blogger unexpectedly found what appears to be the only official U.S. comments on that U.N.. General Assembly resolution at the very end of the State Department’s Press Briefing on October 30 by Matthew Miller, the Department’s Spokesperson.[2]
Matthew Miller’s Comments
A journalist opened this subject with the following comments/questions and Miller’s responses:
- Journalist: “T]he vote happened today in the UN on the Cuba embargo. Do you know what the vote was?”
- Miller: “Yeah, it was a predictable vote in line with past votes. (Laughter.)
- Journalist: “ Exactly. But just for the record, let’s say, it was 187 to 2 —with one abstention. And the one abstention wasn’t even a Pacific Island nation. It was Moldova.”
- Journalist: “So at what point, though, are you guys going to realize that the entire world, with the exception of you and Israel, thinks that the embargo is a really bad idea and should be stopped?
- Miller: “Look, I think we are quite clear on the opinion of other countries around the world. And it’s one with which we disagree. We take their opinion seriously, but we make our own policy determinations . . .on these matters. . . Certainly we would welcome other countries sharing our opinion in this. But we’re not blind to the history of countries around the world having a very different view of this matter. It long predates this administration. But as I said, we make our own determinations.
- Journalist: “What about the Obama administration disagreement? Were they wrong?”
- Miller: “I don’t have anything to comment on previous administration decisions.”
The Department’s Official Statement on U.S.-Cuba Relations[3]
“The United States seeks a stable, prosperous, and free country for the Cuban people. The United States pursues limited engagement with Cuba that advances our national interests and empowers the Cuban people while restricting economic practices that disproportionately benefit the Cuban government or its military, intelligence, or security agencies at the expense of the Cuban people. The U.S. government seeks to promote human rights, religious freedom, and democracy, encourages the development of telecommunications and the internet in Cuba, supports the growth of Cuba’s nascent private sector and civil society, and engages in areas that advance the interests of the United States and the Cuban people. The United States is committed to supporting safe, orderly, and legal migration from Cuba through the effective implementation of the U.S.-Cuba Migration Accords. Due to injuries sustained by our diplomatic community in Havana, visa processing for most Cuban applicants is presently taking place in third countries.”
On Bilateral Economic Relations, the State Department says, “Although economic sanctions remain in place, the United States is the largest provider of food and agricultural products to Cuba, with exports of those goods valued at $220.5 million in 2018. The United States is also a significant supplier of humanitarian goods to Cuba, including medicines and medical products, with total value of all exports to Cuba of $275.9 million. Remittances from the United States, estimated at $3.5 billion for 2017, play an important role in Cuba’s state-controlled economy.”
U.S. Integrated Country Strategy for Cuba[4]
In recent years the State Department has adopted a uniform structure for integrated country strategies for every country in the world. Here are the Chief of Mission Priorities for that document for Cuba:
“The Mission is focused on five key priorities: the protection of American citizens in and visiting Cuba, supporting Cubans who seek to exercise their universal human rights, promoting economic freedom and an empowered private sector, protecting the national security of the United States and its citizens, and ensuring the safety and well-being of staff assigned in Havana.”
“Ensuring Consistent American Citizen Services”
“Immigration from Cuba to the United States continues to increase the number of Cuban Americans who, more than ever, are returning to the island to maintain their connections and support family with remittances and necessary supplies. The Mission regularly engages with the Cuban government concerning their rights and to ensure consular access to imprisoned American citizens, many of whom the Cuban government considers to be “residents” of Cuba, and thus citizens of Cuba regardless of their U.S. citizenship. The
“The Mission will continue robust communication and outreach efforts to educate travelers on the difficulties of traveling to Cuba and the assistance the U.S. Embassy can provide when required. Much of this communication centers around disaster preparedness, access to funds while traveling, hospital care, death assistance, and welfare visits while an individual is in prison. Continued relationship building with partners to assist U.S. citizens will remain a crucial priority for supporting U.S. citizens abroad.”
“Supporting Human Rights”
“A generational transition to a post-Cuban Revolution leadership has failed to create significant changes: the Cuban government continues to use repressive measures, including incarceration, coercive economic policies, and misinformation to suppress the Cuban peoples’ freedoms. Approximately 1,000 political prisoners remain unjustly imprisoned in Cuba. Cuban authorities regularly harass, imprison, or force into exile those who express dissenting opinions.”
“Encouraging an Empowered, Innovative, and Inclusive Cuban Society”
“Cuba is experiencing the worst economic crisis in its history. Food scarcity, electricity and water shortages, and inflation make life difficult for Cubans. Incremental reforms of Cuba’s centrally planned economy – including the legal recognition of micro, small, and medium enterprises – have been insufficient to align Cuba’s economic needs with the realities of doing business in a global economy. The Embassy will continue to seek new ways to engage Cuba’s independent economic actors, foster Cuba’s entrepreneurial eco-system, while expanding outreach to improve the economic outlook for Afro- Cubans, women, and other historically disadvantaged groups.”
“Protecting the Security of the United States and its Citizens”
“Over 500,000 Cubans have migrated to the United States in the last three years. It is in the interest of the United States and Cuba to ensure that migration from Cuba is safe, orderly, and legal. The Embassy has resumed migration-related services in Havana after a several-year hiatus, to include the issuance of all categories of immigrant visas and the processing of cases under the Cuban Family Reunification Parole (CFRP) Program. The mission will also seek to maintain and expand the existing cooperation between the United States and Cuba on matters related to maritime migration, law enforcement, health and environmental cooperation, and disaster response.”
“Building a Management Platform to Best Support U.S. goals and Future Mission Growth”
“Embassy Havana’s chancery is a culturally significant but obsolete building that has suffered from decades of delayed maintenance and significant damage from its seaside location. The Cuban government routinely denies the secure shipments to perform necessary maintenance. Given these challenges, Embassy Havana is building a management platform prepared to support U.S. priorities now and into the future, especially ensuring a safe working and living environment. We are still in the process of returning to “normal operations” following a reduction of Embassy staffing to emergency levels in 2017, and restarting full immigrant visa and limited NIV operations in 2023.”
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[1] U.N. General Assembly Overwhelmingly Adopts Resolution Condemning U.S. Embargo of Cuba, dwkcommentaries.com (Oct. 30, 2024); Criticisms of the Recent U.N. General Assembly Resolution Against the U.S. Embargo of Cuba, dwkcommentaries.com (Oct. 31, 2024).
[2] State Dep’t, Department Press Briefing—October 30, 2024); State Dep’t, Matthew Miller (Department Spokesperson bio).
[3] State Dep’t, U.S.-Cuba Relations,
[4] State Dep’t, Integrated Country Strategy: Cuba.