The United States diplomat Jeff Bartos, who represents the U.S. in the UN's Management and Reform efforts, made a strong statement on Friday at the General Assembly. He criticized the selection of Richard Tur de la Concepción as an expert for the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) for the 2027-2029 term, labeling this decision as a scandal for the taxpayers of member countries.
Richard Tur was expelled from the United States just days earlier after he physically assaulted a U.S. mission official inside the UN's New York headquarters.
"You have chosen a thug from the Cuban regime, who was expelled, to join the commission responsible for overseeing billions of dollars in United Nations expenditures," Bartos asserted to the delegates present at the General Assembly.
He further criticized the paradox of rewarding Tur: "By consensus, we have just awarded him an annual salary of $180,000, equivalent to the yearly wages of about 1,900 Cuban workers."
Bartos sarcastically suggested that Tur might perform his duties by telecommuting from Havana while member countries' taxpayers fund his tax-free stipend.
The incident that sparked this controversy took place on October 27, during the General Assembly's annual debate on the U.S. embargo on Cuba. Tur attempted to snatch the phone from J.P. Freire, the head of Strategic Communications for the U.S. mission, throwing several slaps as Freire recorded the confrontation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed the expulsion order that very night, and the State Department confirmed Tur's departure from U.S. soil on October 29, denouncing the Cuban regime as "incompetent" with tactics of "intimidation and oppression."
Rather than acknowledging the seriousness of the episode, the Cuban regime turned it into propaganda. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla organized a welcome event at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with around 40-50 attendees, where he praised Tur's actions as "firm and brave," calling them an "example for Revolutionary Diplomacy."
Following Tur's appointment to the ACABQ, Rodríguez Parrilla celebrated it on social media as a "new victory for Cuba and recognition of its outstanding work in favor of multilateralism."
Bartos, however, saw the Assembly's decision as a betrayal of the reform work the U.S. has been advocating at the UN over the past year.
The Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba added Tur to its list of Cuban repressors on October 29, highlighting alleged connections with Cuban intelligence: his father, Ricardo Tur Novo, supposedly operated as an officer for the MII Intelligence Department under the alias "Roger" in Bolivia, Paraguay, and Jamaica.
This episode occurs during what has been described as Cuba's worst diplomatic week at the UN in decades. The annual resolution against the embargo was passed on October 28 with only 130 votes in favor, 17 against, and 25 abstentions—compared to the 187 votes secured just two years earlier—marking the most unfavorable result for Havana since 1992.
Key Questions About Richard Tur's Appointment at the UN
Why was Richard Tur expelled from the United States?
Richard Tur was expelled from the United States for physically assaulting a U.S. mission official at the UN headquarters in New York.
What position was Richard Tur elected to at the UN?
Richard Tur was elected as an expert for the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) for the term 2027-2029.
What concerns did Jeff Bartos express regarding Tur's election?
Jeff Bartos expressed concerns that appointing a person expelled for misconduct to oversee UN expenditures is scandalous and a betrayal of reform efforts.
How did the Cuban government react to Tur's expulsion?
The Cuban government used Tur's expulsion as propaganda, with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla praising his actions as an example of "Revolutionary Diplomacy."