A heated confrontation erupted at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday after Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez approached the podium and interrupted US Ambassador Mike Waltz during his speech.
Waltz was accusing Cuba’s government of enriching its leaders while ordinary citizens continued to suffer. He said Washington had evidence of where the alleged wealth had gone and intended to present it to the international community.
When members of the Cuban delegation attempted to interrupt him, Waltz pushed back, saying they could not silence him at the United Nations.
“This is America, friend. This is the United Nations. This is not your communist dictatorship,” he said, according to reports.
The president of the General Assembly attempted to restore order, reminding delegates that Cuba would have an opportunity to respond. However, Rodríguez continued moving towards the podium as tensions escalated.
Waltz then demanded that the Cuban foreign minister move away, declaring that he would not be intimidated on American soil. He repeatedly told Rodríguez to step back, adding, “This is not Havana.”
The confrontation took place during the General Assembly’s annual debate on the decades-long US embargo against Cuba. Waltz was urging member states to reject a resolution calling for the embargo to be lifted.
When Cuba was subsequently given the floor, Rodríguez accused Waltz of lying and called on the Assembly president to bring the US envoy under control. He said Waltz’s remarks were incompatible with the dignity of the forum and its member states and were insulting to the Cuban government and people.
In a later post on X, Waltz said Cuba’s communist leaders did not want the public to know about their alleged luxury real estate holdings. He added that he had brought evidence, which the Cuban delegation had been unhappy to hear about.
The exchange underscored the deep divisions between Washington and Havana over Cuba’s political leadership and the long-running US economic embargo.
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