US Ambassador and Cuban Minister Clash at UN General Assembly
US Ambassador Mike Waltz and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez engaged in a shouting match during a UN debate over the US embargo on Cuba.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez engaged in a shouting match on the floor of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. The confrontation occurred while Waltz was arguing against a resolution condemning the U.S. economic embargo on Cuba and detailing alleged corruption and repression by the Cuban government.
Rodríguez approached the podium and called Waltz a "liar," prompting Waltz to tell him to back up and assert that he was representing the United States. The incident follows a pattern of escalating diplomatic friction, including a similar public dispute between Waltz and Cuban official Ernesto Soberón Guzmán one week prior.
Tensions have intensified under the administration of President Donald Trump, who announced in January that tariffs would be imposed on any country providing oil to Cuba. This policy has resulted in widespread power outages on the island. U.S. officials are currently attempting to persuade member states to vote against the annual resolution on the embargo, a measure that has historically received overwhelming support.
