On October 27, 2026, during the UN General Assembly’s annual debate on Cuba’s resolution calling for an end to the U.S. embargo, U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz delivered a pointed critique of the Cuban government that sparked a rare shouting match on the assembly floor.
Waltz argued that the island’s hardships stem primarily from the regime’s own corruption and mismanagement rather than U.S. sanctions. He displayed images of luxury items—including Rolex watches reportedly worn by Fidel Castro (valued around $40,000 in today’s dollars) and current leaders, a private island resort associated with the Castro family, and other assets—while citing reports of large cash holdings by the military-run GAESA conglomerate. He also referenced historical repression, including the regime’s past detention of gay people, Christians, and others. “Things don’t just vanish; it was taken,” he said, questioning where Cuba’s wealth had gone amid widespread shortages and blackouts for ordinary citizens.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla and the delegation responded with desk-banging, shouted points of order, and accusations that Waltz was “lying grossly” and offending Cuba’s dignity. Rodríguez left his seat, approached the podium, and yelled “You are a liar!” Waltz fired back without yielding: “This is America, my friend. This is the United Nations. This isn’t your communist dictatorship. You cannot silence me.” He repeatedly ordered the minister to step back—“Back up! Back away! This isn’t Havana”—and stated he would not be intimidated “in the United States of America.” The session’s presiding officer briefly suspended the meeting to restore order as Cuban diplomats gathered near the podium.
Waltz later posted that “regime thugs rushed the stage” and that one Cuban official allegedly tried to pressure UN staff to cut U.S. microphones before confronting a U.S. staffer recording the events. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed paperwork to expel the first secretary of Cuba’s UN mission (identified in reporting as Richard Tur de la Concepción), whom Waltz accused of shoving and attempting to assault an American diplomat. Waltz said the official would be on a plane to Havana within 24 hours, declaring that laying hands on an American would not be tolerated.
The confrontation occurred against the backdrop of the long-running, non-binding resolution, which has passed overwhelmingly since 1992. This year’s vote on October 28 saw reduced support for Cuba’s position: 130 in favor, 17 against, and 25 abstentions—down from 165-7-12 the previous year, with more countries shifting to opposition or abstention after U.S. lobbying.
The episode underscored the sharpened U.S.-Cuba tensions under the current administration, with Waltz using the UN platform to highlight alleged regime hypocrisy while rejecting Cuban claims of a total “blockade.” Videos of the exchange circulated widely, amplifying the public standoff.
SOURCES:
Waltz, Cuban diplomats clash on UN floor ahead of embargo vote | Miami Herald
U.S. and Cuban officials get into shouting match on floor of United Nations | CBC News
U.S. Expels Cuban Official Who Got Into a Diplomatic Dust-Up at the U.N. – The Washington Sun
Mike Waltz yells at Cuban envoy at UNGA. ‘This is America’
‘This is America. Back up!’: Trump UN envoy clashes with Cuban foreign minister | Fox News
Mike Waltz Says Cuban Diplomat in Angry UN Confrontation Has Been Expelled – Newsweek
