Miguel Díaz-Canel took to social media on Wednesday, celebrating what he called a heroic performance by the Cuban delegation at the UN General Assembly. This came a day after Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla approached the podium where U.S. Ambassador Michael Waltz was speaking, causing a temporary suspension of the session and leading to the expulsion of a Cuban diplomat from the United States.
"Cuba will not back down, especially not in the face of Yankee pressures and orders," Díaz-Canel wrote on his social media account, commending Rodríguez, permanent ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, and the rest of the delegation for their "firm stance against disrespect, arrogance, and imperial hubris."
In a follow-up message, the Cuban leader stated that the UN is a "space of sovereign equality among states, where Cuba will always defend, against anyone, the rights afforded by the UN Charter and regulations, along with the dignity of its people and heroes."
What Díaz-Canel left out in his messages was the concrete outcome of Tuesday's incident: Assembly President Khalilur Rahman had to momentarily suspend the session and instructed Rodríguez to return to his seat; the three motions presented by the Cuban delegation under Article 71 were dismissed one by one; and a member of the Cuban mission, identified as Richard Tur de la Concepción, attempted to grab the phone from Waltz's spokesperson, J.P. Freire, as he was recording the confrontation.
Washington responded swiftly. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed documents to expel Tur de la Concepción, and Waltz announced that the diplomat would be "on a plane to Havana" within 24 hours. The White House publicly supported the ambassador with the message, "Not in the United States of America."
Waltz stood firm against the disturbances from the podium. "Mr. Minister, here's how this is going to work: each time you interrupt me, I will continue to explain how corrupt this regime is, and I'll do it even more slowly," he warned. He also presented photos to the Assembly showcasing the luxuries of the Cuban elite, including two Rolex watches attributed to Fidel Castro valued at $40,000, a 14,000-square-meter mansion in Varadero with pools and sauna, the private island Cayo Piedra, and a 50-meter yacht cruising the Mediterranean.
Rather than acknowledging the setback, Rodríguez posted a video of the confrontation, labeling Waltz's speech as a "media circus" and portraying the day as a diplomatic victory. The foreign minister also responded to the U.S. ambassador: "Mr. Waltz, you're lying again. I hope for a better performance in your future political endeavors."
The Tuesday incident was not isolated. On October 19, Cuban diplomats led by Soberón staged a protest in the UN halls against Mike Waltz, activists, and former political prisoners participating in a forum organized by the U.S. mission. In July 2026, Rodríguez had already attempted to silence Waltz with procedural motions during an extraordinary session requested by Havana.
International support for Cuba's resolution against the embargo—which has been presented annually since 1992 and lacks binding force—has been dwindling: from 187 votes in 2024 to 165 in 2025, and down to just 136 in the extraordinary session of July 2026. The final vote for this 34th edition was scheduled for Wednesday, though results had not been released at the time of this publication.
Key Questions About Cuba-U.S. Tensions at the UN
What sparked the recent confrontation between Cuba and the U.S. at the UN?
The confrontation was sparked by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla approaching the podium where U.S. Ambassador Michael Waltz was speaking, leading to a temporary suspension of the session.
How did the U.S. respond to the incident at the UN?
The U.S. responded by expelling a Cuban diplomat involved in the incident and publicly supporting Ambassador Waltz, highlighting that such actions are unacceptable in the United States.
What has been the trend in international support for Cuba's resolution against the embargo?
International support for Cuba's resolution has been declining, with votes dropping from 187 in 2024 to 165 in 2025, and further to 136 in the 2026 extraordinary session.