A heated clash between the US ambassador and Cuba’s foreign minister briefly disrupted the General Assembly debate on the embargo, with a vote due today.
Tamrah News Desk | October 28, 2026
The Mike Waltz Cuba UN shouting match unfolded on Tuesday, when the US ambassador to the UN and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez traded angry accusations on the floor of the UN General Assembly. According to the Associated Press, the clash came during the annual debate on the Cuba embargo, one day before member states were due to vote on a resolution condemning it.
What Happened Between Mike Waltz and Bruno Rodríguez
The Associated Press reported that Waltz took the podium to urge countries to reject the resolution against the economic embargo. As he listed alleged corruption by the Cuban government, members of the Cuban delegation slammed their table and demanded a point of order. Rodríguez then walked down the aisle toward the head of the Assembly and shouted,
“You are a liar!”
The AP said Waltz told him to back up and asked whether he understood who he was dealing with.
UN News reported that the President of the UN General Assembly briefly suspended the session and that the debate later resumed without further incident. Outlook India reported that Assembly President Khalilur Rahman had earlier warned he could suspend the meeting, and that Rodríguez accused Waltz of lying and attacking the dignity of the Cuban people. ABC News reported that Waltz held up a photograph of Fidel Castro wearing a luxury watch during his speech.
What the US Ambassador to the UN Told Delegates
UN News reported that Mike Waltz rejected the premise of the debate on the Cuba embargo and said Cuba’s crisis was caused by its own government.
“There is no blockade,”
he said, according to UN News. He pointed to US exports to Cuba of more than 876 million dollars in the first eight months of 2026, along with shipments from Canada, Spain, Mexico, China, Russia, the European Union and UN agencies. He also argued that the country’s wealth had passed to the ruling elite.
Why US Cuba Tensions Are Rising
The exchange reflects growing US Cuba tensions over the Cuba embargo and the island’s fuel supply. The AP reported that President Donald Trump announced in late January that he would impose tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. According to the AP, the warning has effectively cut off fuel to the island and caused widespread power outages that affect cooking, water supply, internet and phone services. Related reading: world news on Tamrah News.
UN News reported that Francisco Pichon, the UN Resident Coordinator in Cuba, has warned of an energy crisis and possible humanitarian collapse. The World Health Organization has said energy shortages are hurting health, and senior UN officials reported in May that more than 100,000 surgical procedures had been postponed, UN News said. It added that Trump has raised the possibility of military intervention in Cuba this year, and that independent UN experts condemned a new round of US sanctions on August 6.
The AP also reported that a similar confrontation took place a week earlier between Waltz and Cuban Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán outside a panel with Cuban dissidents and former prisoners.
Will the UN General Assembly Vote Change This Year?
The General Assembly vote is set for Wednesday, October 28, and will be the 34th time member states have considered a resolution calling for an end to the Cuba embargo, according to UN News. A UN press release said last year’s text passed by 165 votes to 7, with 12 abstentions. The seven opposing countries were Argentina, Hungary, Israel, North Macedonia, Paraguay, Ukraine and the United States. UN News said support peaked at 191 votes in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The AP noted that the resolution is not legally binding but reflects world opinion. It also reported that Waltz and other US officials have used public events at the UN to persuade member states to vote against the text. Bruno Rodríguez is due to address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, UN News said. The result was not available when this report was written.
Cuban Foreign Minister Responds Online
Outlook India reported that Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez criticised Waltz on social media after the exchange, accusing him of grossly lying. In late September, UN News reported, he told the UN General Assembly that the United States was intensifying a long campaign to isolate Cuba, a sign of how deep US Cuba tensions run.
Conclusion
The Mike Waltz Cuba UN shouting match has put the Cuba embargo back in focus before a closely watched vote, and the outcome may shape US Cuba tensions beyond this week. Readers following the story are searching for the Bruno Rodríguez Mike Waltz clash, the UN vote on Cuba embargo, US embargo on Cuba news, the Cuba UN General Assembly vote result, the Waltz Cuban foreign minister video and Cuba embargo resolution 2026.
