The 23 countries that supported Putin in the UN vote that suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council

The resolution that suspended Russia from the UN Human Rights Council was approved this Thursday with 93 votes in favor, 24 against and 58 abstentions.

Faced with the bulk of the international community, led by the US and its Western allies, Vladimir Putin's government was supported by regimes in Venezuela, China, North Korea, Iran, Syria and Cuba.

The representative of the Beijing regime argued that the resolution was not drafted openly and that the measure against Moscow will add fuel to the fire.

The bulk of the votes that rejected the resolution came from Asia, with votes against China, North Korea, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.

For their part, nine African countries joined the opposition: Algeria, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Mali, Zimbabwe.

Only one country on the European continent, besides Russia, voted against: Belarus, the main Russian ally in the logistics of the invasion of Ukraine.

In Latin America, it was Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua who joined the ranks of rejection.

In this region, Brazil (heavily dependent on Russian fertilizers) and Mexico (with a historical policy of non-intervention) abstained. “Even in the midst of the war, all channels must be kept open to find a diplomatic solution that will bring peace back,” said the Mexican representative. El Salvador, ruled by Nayib Bukele, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, also abstained.

For their part, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina and the rest of the South American countries supported the initiative.

Before the vote, the Ukrainian ambassador acknowledged that the measure is “extraordinary”, but that Russia's actions are “beyond the limits”. “Russia's suspension from the Human Rights Council is not an option, it is a duty,” said Sergiy Kyslytsya. “We have heard many times the same perverted logic of the aggressor as he kills his neighbor's citizens, ” the ambassador added, urging Russia to implement the decisions of the UN General Assembly.

In turn, Russian representative Gennady Kuzmin criticized the initiative. “The draft resolution we are considering today is unrelated to the situation on the ground. It is an attempt by the US to maintain full control and attempt to colonize human rights,” he said. “Our priority has always been the defense and promotion of human rights. We reject false accusations based on widely disseminated staged events and falsifications,” he added.

After the vote, with the consummate expulsion, Ukraine expressed its appreciation.

“War criminals have no place in the UN bodies responsible for the protection of human rights,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter. “We thank all the member states that supported the resolution [of the United Nations General Assembly] and put themselves on the right side of history,” he added.

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