The Latest: UN Assembly condemns US embargo of Cuba

The Latest on the U.N. General Assembly vote on the U.S. embargo of Cuba (all times local):

12:55 p.m.

The U.N. General Assembly has overwhelming approved a resolution condemning the American economic embargo of Cuba after rejecting proposed U.S. amendments strongly criticizing the lack of human rights in the island country.

Thursday’s vote approving the Cuban-sponsored resolution was 189-2 with no abstentions and two countries not voting — Moldova and Ukraine.

In separate votes on the defeated U.S. amendments, Ukraine and Israel were the only countries to join the U.S. in voting “yes” on all eight measures while the Marshall Islands backed one amendment.

Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla called the U.S. embargo “a flagrant, massive and systematic violation of the human rights of Cuban men and women.”

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said after the votes that the Cuban people “have once again been left to the brutal winds of the Castro regime.”