Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla concluded his address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday by quoting independence hero Antonio Maceo. The quote served as a warning to U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz during the special debate on the embargo, organized by the Cuban regime.
"Anyone attempting to take over Cuba, as Antonio Maceo said, will only collect the dust of its blood-soaked soil, if they do not perish in the struggle," Rodríguez declared to the delegates gathered in New York. His speech was laden with revolutionary rhetoric and direct attacks on Washington.
Highlighting Cuba's Energy Crisis
Rodríguez spent a significant portion of his speech showcasing images of blackouts in Havana, depicting a Cuban family sitting in darkness with a child just home from school, an operating room lit by a mobile phone flashlight, and humanitarian aid distributed via ox-drawn carts. He blamed all these issues on the "energy blockade" imposed by the United States.
He neglected to mention that the blackout coinciding with the session was the seventh total collapse of the electrical system in 18 months and the third of 2026. Structural problems, including decades of underinvestment, aging thermoelectric plants, and the halt of Venezuelan oil supply since January, were contributing factors.
Verbal Exchanges with the U.S.
Waltz had put Rodríguez on the spot by arguing that the real embargo is the one the regime imposes on its own people, questioning, "How is there fuel for a private jet but not for a hospital?"
Rodríguez responded with personal attacks, calling Waltz an "insignificant official" and warning him, "No one will know who you are shortly."
The Cuban official also attempted to silence the U.S. representative twice using points of order, labeling him a "liar" and asserting that the UN "isn't a Green Beret camp." The Assembly's presidency dismissed both objections.
Remarks on Cuban Leadership and Embargo Costs
In another part of his speech, Rodríguez declared that Raúl Castro "remains ready to defend our homeland" and announced that "in a few weeks, both in Cuba and globally, we will celebrate his centenary," referring to Fidel Castro's birthday on August 13.
He estimated the embargo's damages between March 2025 and February 2026 at 8.103 billion dollars, with an accumulated impact of 178.7 billion dollars, figures lacking independent verification.
The session concluded with 136 votes favoring the debate, nine against, and 30 abstentions. The regime presented this as a victory, though it marks the weakest support in over three decades: in October 2025, Cuba secured 165 favorable votes, and abstentions doubled compared to that vote.
While Rodríguez spoke in New York, the United States demanded the release of Cuban political prisoners, including Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, whose five-year sentence ends this Thursday, and poet Duannis León Taboada, serving a 14-year sentence in solitary confinement at Combinado del Este.
Key Questions on Cuba's UN Debate and U.S. Embargo
What was the main focus of Bruno Rodríguez's speech at the UN?
Bruno Rodríguez focused on blaming the United States for Cuba's energy crisis, using images of blackouts and humanitarian struggles, while also quoting Antonio Maceo to warn against foreign intervention.
How did Mike Waltz challenge Bruno Rodríguez during the UN debate?
Mike Waltz challenged Rodríguez by highlighting that the true embargo is the one imposed by the Cuban regime on its own people, questioning the availability of fuel for private jets but not for hospitals.
What was the outcome of the UN session on the Cuban embargo?
The session concluded with 136 votes in favor of the debate, nine against, and 30 abstentions, marking the weakest support for the Cuban regime in over three decades.