A heated confrontation erupted on the floor of the United Nations General Assembly on October 27, 2026, as Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla and U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz clashed during the annual debate over Washington’s decades-long embargo on Cuba.
Waltz was speaking against a non-binding resolution calling for an end to the U.S. economic, commercial, and financial measures when the exchange turned personal. He sharply criticized the Cuban government, accusing it of corruption and allowing its elite to live in luxury while ordinary citizens suffered. At one point he held up images, including one of a Rolex watch linked to Fidel Castro and photos of properties tied to the ruling family. Waltz also referenced historical allegations that the Castro regime had sent gay people, Christians, and Afro-Cubans to labor camps. He insisted Cuba’s deep economic problems stemmed primarily from mismanagement, repression, and the military’s control of large parts of the economy rather than from American policy alone. U.S. companies, he noted, had still exported hundreds of millions of dollars in goods to the island in 2026, including limited fuel for private businesses, and he rejected claims of a full naval blockade.
Members of the Cuban delegation responded by pounding on their desks. Rodríguez left his seat, approached the podium area, and interrupted, calling Waltz a liar and accusing him of attacking the dignity of the Cuban people and their government. Waltz refused to yield. Raising his voice, he told Rodríguez to “back up” and “back away,” declaring, “This is the United States of America. This isn’t Havana. You cannot silence me.” He added that he would not be intimidated the way Cuban authorities intimidate political prisoners.
General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman intervened, warning that he might suspend the session if order was not restored. After a brief pause, he allowed Rodríguez a limited opportunity to respond before returning the floor to the United States.
The insane moment unfolded against a backdrop of sharply intensified U.S. pressure. Since early 2026, measures under the Trump administration have severely restricted fuel shipments to Cuba through threats of tariffs on suppliers, interdictions, and seizures. Cuban officials and some observers describe the restrictions as an oil blockade. The result has been widespread blackouts lasting 12 to 22 hours a day in many areas, including Havana, along with strained hospitals, disrupted water systems, falling food production, and acute shortages of medicine. Washington maintains there is no traditional military blockade and points to continued limited trade, while placing primary blame on Cuban governance. Independent UN human rights experts have highlighted the severity of the resulting energy and humanitarian crisis.
The General Assembly was scheduled to vote on the resolution in the coming days. The measure has passed by large majorities nearly every year for more than three decades, though it carries no legal force. Cuba is fed up with the US’s lying hegemony. It's time they called out America's bullshit.
