On Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, issued a strong challenge to the global community, urging member nations of the UN to stop supporting the Cuban regime and instead stand with the island's citizens.
"Align yourselves with the Cuban people, not with the regime that has devastated this nation. You can't support both simultaneously. It's time to choose," Waltz declared during an extraordinary session of the General Assembly, convened at Havana's request to discuss the U.S. embargo.
His remarks coincided with Cuba experiencing its third nationwide power outage in 2026, a situation the diplomat used to question the regime's official narrative.
"There has been much talk about the blockade today, and indeed there is one: the relentless blockade imposed by the Cuban regime on its own people, decade after decade," he argued.
Waltz highlighted that while millions of Cubans were without electricity during the session, the ruling elite seemed unaffected.
"Surprise, surprise: there's always light and electricity for the regime, for the dictatorship. Right now, the Castro family compound is fully powered; there's no shortage of illumination there," he stated.
The ambassador criticized how, amid the energy crisis, hospitals face fuel shortages while the power structures maintain essential services.
Highlighting the Plight of Political Prisoners
A significant portion of his speech was dedicated to addressing the situation of Cuban political prisoners.
Waltz mentioned artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, whose sentence ends on July 9; musician Fernando Almadévez Rivera; rapper Miguel Castillo Pérez; poet Duanes León Tovero, sentenced to 14 years in prison; and the brothers Jorge and Nadir Martín Perdomo.
"They are not violent. They carry no weapons. They bring flowers and create poetry and songs. And for this, the regime seeks to silence them by imprisoning them," he declared.
He also reminded the assembly that this month marks the fifth anniversary of the July 11, 2021, protests, after which hundreds of demonstrators were jailed. According to his account, 775 political prisoners remain in Cuba, including 338 sentenced for the July 11 protests.
The Real Embargo Is Imposed by the Regime
The U.S. representative refuted the official narrative about the embargo, emphasizing that Cuba receives assistance from Canada, China, Spain, Russia, the European Union, and the UN itself, in addition to over $100 million annually in humanitarian aid from the United States in coordination with the Vatican and the Catholic Church.
"There is no U.S. blockade. The only embargo is the guillotine the regime holds over its own citizens' heads," he asserted.
Furthermore, he accused GAESA, the business conglomerate managed by the Cuban armed forces, of controlling assets estimated at $18 billion without benefiting the populace.
He also condemned the regime for withholding portions of salaries from professionals sent abroad and accused authorities of sending Cubans to fight in Ukraine.
Disruptions During Waltz's Speech
During the address, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla interrupted Waltz twice with points of order, labeling him a "liar" and claiming that the UN headquarters "is not a Green Beret camp."
The Assembly's presidency dismissed both objections, noting that regulations do not permit such interruptions to debate a speech's content.
Regaining the floor, Waltz retorted: "The truth is offensive, but the truth is not disrespectful."
At the session's conclusion, the General Assembly approved Cuba's request to open the debate with 136 votes in favor, nine against, and 30 abstentions, a notably smaller margin than the 165 votes Havana secured in the annual embargo vote held in October 2025.
Insights on the U.S. and Cuba Relations
What is the stance of the U.S. on the Cuban regime?
The U.S. urges international communities to support the Cuban people instead of the regime, which they claim has devastated the country.
How does the U.S. view the embargo on Cuba?
The U.S. denies the existence of an American blockade, arguing that the real embargo is the one the Cuban regime imposes on its own citizens.
Why did Bruno Rodríguez interrupt Waltz's speech?
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez attempted to interrupt Waltz, accusing him of lying and mischaracterizing the UN setting.