HAMILTON, Canada

The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly reaffirmed its demand Wednesday for the US to end its economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba.

The vote saw 165 nations voting in favor in the 184-member chamber, with seven opposing -- the United States, Israel, Ukraine, Hungary, Paraguay, Argentina and North Macedonia.

Twelve countries, including Costa Rica, Ecuador and Morocco, abstained.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parrilla, before the vote, condemned US envoy Mike Waltz's remarks that accused Cuba of supporting "terrorist organizations around the globe."

"Cuba is a victim of terrorism, so we have previously demonstrated before this assembly for years, and even today, terrorist acts against the country have been and are still being organized and financed from US territory," said Parrilla.

Stressing that "Cuba will not surrender," he noted that Cuba "will continue our efforts to overcome the current difficulties and to ensure the economic sustainability of the country, even with the continuation or even with the subsequent strengthening of the blockade."

Urging all member states to vote in favor of the draft resolution, Rodriguez Parrilla said the move "would be an act of justice in favor of a peace-loving people."

The non-binding resolution, which has been voted on 33 times at the UN General Assembly, is advisory and reflects the stance of the international community.

US embargoes against the island began in 1960 and were expanded in scope in subsequent years. Although the embargo was loosened in 2000 to allow food and humanitarian goods to be sent to Cuba, it continues to prohibit most American business with Cuba.