“You Are a Liar!” US and Cuba Clash on UN Floor
A UN General Assembly debate on the US embargo against Cuba erupted into a shouting match between U.S. and Cuban officials on Tuesday. Washington is now expelling a Cuban diplomat.
The shouting match erupted as U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz urged member states not to support an annual resolution condemning Washington’s decades-long economic, trade and financial embargo against Cuba, which is a policy restricting U.S. trade and financial dealings with the island.
Waltz accused Cuba’s socialist government of corruption and displayed photographs of former leader Fidel Castro wearing Rolex watches, along with images of the Castro family’s private island.
Members of the Cuban delegation, including Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, banged on their table and shouted for a point of order. Rodríguez subsequently approached the podium and shouted at Waltz, “You are a liar!”
Waltz demanded that a Cuban representative move away from the podium, shouting, “He’s not going to intimidate me in the United States of America like he tries to intimidate political prisoners,” adding, “I’m the representative of the United States of America. Back up!”
The confrontation forced the General Assembly president to suspend the meeting. Proceedings resumed later, with Rodríguez subsequently calling Waltz an “arrogant liar”.
Waltz later accused a Cuban diplomat of trying to cut his microphone and prevent his staff from recording the incident. He announced that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was expelling the diplomat, who was expected to be sent to Havana within 24 hours.
Rodríguez fired back on X, writing that Waltz “forgets that he is at the United Nations.”
The clash comes as the Trump administration tightens pressure on Havana. In January, Trump threatened tariffs on any country that supplies oil to Cuba, which has effectively cut off fuel to the island and caused widespread blackouts.
Today, the General Assembly adopted the resolution calling for an end to the embargo, with 130 votes in favour, 17 against and 25 abstentions. Support fell sharply from last year’s 165 votes in favour, seven against and 12 abstentions. The non-binding resolution has been adopted 34 times.