The global body on Thursday overwhelmingly condemned the American government’s continued refusal to lift the embargo for the 30th year, with 185 member-countries supporting the UN resolution. The US and Israel voted against the draft resolution, while both Brazil and Ukraine abstained.

Thursday’s 185-2 vote was similar to previous years. The General Assembly’s vote in November 2019 was 187-3, with the US, Israel and Brazil voting “no” and Colombia and Ukraine abstaining.

General Assembly resolutions are usually not legally binding and are unenforceable, but they reflect global opinion and the recent UN vote gave Cuba a chance to highlight continued US efforts to isolate the country.

The embargo was imposed in 1960 following the Cuban revolution which swept Fidel Castro into power, who subsequently nationalized all properties belonging to US citizens and corporations.

During the first 14 months of the Biden administration, the damage to the Cuban economy was estimated at $6.35 billion, equivalent to more than $15 million a day, Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez has said.