A Cuba solidarity gathering in Midtown Manhattan unfolded against a period of heightened tension between Washington and Havana. The demonstration coincided with the United Nations General Assembly’s annual vote calling for an end to the decades-old U.S. embargo on Cuba.

The political atmosphere surrounding this year’s vote was particularly charged. The Trump administration had intensified economic pressure on Cuba, including measures that sharply restricted fuel supplies, while Cuban officials blamed U.S. policy for worsening blackouts and shortages. Washington, meanwhile, defended the pressure campaign as part of its effort to challenge Cuba’s government. The gathering closed with demonstrators calling for a less confrontational approach toward Cuba and an end to policies they said have placed continued pressure on the island.