Chile Abstains on Cuba Vote After 33 Years

CHILE · FOREIGN POLICY

Chile abstained on the UN call to end the US embargo on Cuba. It is the first time in 33 years that it has not voted yes.

Chile abstained on Wednesday, 28 October, in the UN vote on ending the US embargo on Cuba, a first in 33 years. The UN General Assembly, the 193-member body in New York, passed the non-binding text by 130 to 17.

Chilean press reports say Chile had backed the call in every earlier vote of the past three decades. The shift matters because it moves a South American copper exporter with a US free-trade deal away from the majority view.

What Chile Told the United Nations

Roberto Ampuero, Chile’s ambassador to the UN, set out the position on Tuesday, 27 October, the day before the vote. He said Chile still rejects unilateral economic, commercial and financial measures by one country against another.

He argued that the hardships of Cuban families “are not explained only by external factors”. He pointed to limits on fundamental freedoms, political and economic participation, and civil rights on the island.

Ampuero said that recognising this is not “taking sides in a dispute between states” but looking at people’s reality. The government added that a debate on the embargo’s economic effects alone leaves out human rights and political freedoms.

An abstention is not a vote for the embargo, because Chile did not vote against the resolution. It means Chile no longer backs the text automatically.

How the Cuba Embargo Vote Went

The UN’s own news service reports 130 votes in favour, 17 against and 25 abstentions in the 34th vote on the text. A year earlier the count was 165 in favour, 7 against and 12 abstentions.

Support fell by 35 votes, opposition rose by 10 and abstentions more than doubled. UN News calls it the weakest backing for the resolution in two decades.

Peru, South Korea, Germany and Italy were among the other governments that abstained, Chilean press reports say. The United States, Argentina and Israel were among the 17 that voted against.

Havana calls the embargo a “blockade”, and the resolution is not legally binding on Washington. Lifting the embargo depends mainly on US law, not on the UN.

Why Chile’s Shift Stands Out

Kast, a conservative, took office on Wednesday, 11 March 2026, after the left-wing government of Gabriel Boric. Chile voted in favour of the resolution in 2025, under Boric, and was not among the abstainers.

The vote is Chile’s first break with three decades of the same answer on Cuba. It follows other foreign-policy debates in Santiago, covered in the Rio Times guide to Chile’s balance between Washington and Beijing.

What It Means for US Readers

Washington gains a little company at the UN, but 130 governments still backed the call to end the embargo. Chile abstained and did not vote against, so it has not endorsed the US position.

Nothing in the vote changes Chile’s copper exports, its trade with the United States or travel rules for Americans. It is a signal about how the Kast government votes, not a change in law.

Related Rio Times reports are Cuba Embargo Backers Drop by 35 and Cuba UN Vote Drops to 130 Yes. More on the country is on the Chile hub, in the Chile geopolitics guide and on the Santiago city page.

What Is Not Known

The text of Chile’s UN statement could not be opened, so its words here rest on Chilean reports of Ampuero’s remarks. It is not known whether the abstention signals other changes in Chile’s foreign policy.

The UN News report does not name the countries that abstained, so the list of other abstainers rests on Chilean reports. Some reports also list Colombia and Ecuador among the votes against, which could not be confirmed, so they are left out here.

What Comes Next

Cuba has brought the text back for decades, so another vote is likely in 2027, though no date is set. Chile’s next vote will show whether the abstention was a one-off.

The vote does not end the embargo, and it does not mean Chile and Cuba are cutting ties. Neither government has said anything of the kind in the reports found.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Chile abstain on the Cuba embargo vote?

Chile said Cuban hardship is not explained only by external factors and cited limits on freedoms. It still rejects unilateral economic measures, its ambassador said.

Did Chile vote against Cuba or for the US embargo?

No. Chile abstained, which is neither a yes nor a no. It did not vote against the resolution, so it did not endorse the embargo.

How did the UN vote on the Cuba embargo go?

The General Assembly voted 130 in favour, 17 against and 25 abstentions on Wednesday, 28 October. A year earlier it was 165, 7 and 12.

Does the UN vote end the US embargo on Cuba?

No. The resolution is not legally binding, and lifting the embargo depends mainly on US law. The vote shows world opinion, not a change in policy.

Who is Roberto Ampuero?

Ampuero is Chile’s ambassador to the United Nations. He explained Chile’s position to the Assembly on Tuesday, 27 October, the day before the vote.

Sources: United Nations, UN News, Backing for UN call to end Cuba embargo falls to 20-year low, 28 October; United Nations Digital Library, voting record of the 2025 Cuba embargo resolution; statements of Chile’s UN ambassador and Foreign Ministry, 27 and 28 October (accessed 29 October 2026).