U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla engaged in a shouting match on the floor of the UN General Assembly on October 27, 2026, resulting in the total suspension of the session by Assembly President Khalilur Rahman. The confrontation occurred during the annual debate regarding the U.S. economic embargo on Cuba, a resolution the General Assembly has voted to condemn every year since 1992.
Diplomatic Breakdown at UN Headquarters
The incident began during a speech by Mike Waltz, who previously served as national security adviser to Donald Trump. During his address, Waltz accused Cuban government officials of enriching themselves at the expense of hardworking citizens, alleging that the ruling class accumulated luxury watches and a private island while the general population faced recurring power blackouts, chronic food shortages, and poverty. To illustrate these claims, Waltz displayed a black-and-white image of Fidel Castro wearing a valuable Rolex watch.
In response, Cuban delegates began shouting and banging on desks. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla left his seat and approached the stage, shouting You are a liar!
and arguing that the speech was a violation of the procedural rules of this general assembly
.
Waltz refused to leave the podium, commanding the minister to Back up!
and stating, This is America, my friend. This is the United Nations. This is not your communist dictatorship. You cannot silence me or you cannot silence my colleagues
. He added that he would not be intimidated in the United States like he tries to intimidate political prisoners
.
Trump and Rubio Push for Cuban Government Change
The clash follows a period of significant strain between Washington and Havana since Donald Trump returned to the White House last year. Trump has referred to Cuba as a failed state
and a failed country
, and has previously suggested a friendly takeover
of the island. Last month, these remarks prompted the Cuban delegation to walk out of a UN session. Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, has stated the U.S. is open to working toward a change in government with leaders whose hands are not stained with blood
.
The diplomatic friction is compounded by a severe economic crisis in Cuba. The island has faced the blockage of fuel supplies from Venezuela since January, following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who is currently awaiting trial in New York on drug trafficking charges. Cuba has estimated the financial damage of the U.S. embargo at a record $8.08 billion for the 12 months ending February 2026. Rodríguez Parrilla has previously described this blockade as genocidal
and economic asphyxiation
.
Ongoing UN Conflict
The confrontation took place just one day before a scheduled October 28 vote on the resolution to condemn the embargo. While the General Assembly most recently voted 165 to 7 to condemn the measure, the Trump administration has been actively campaigning to reduce international support for the resolution. In 2025, five countries cast opposing ballots for the first time.
The volatility of the event extended beyond the chamber floor, where a video captured a member of the Cuban delegation attempting to knock a mobile phone out of the hand of a U.S. official.
Whether the floor eruption on October 27 will influence any ballots when the General Assembly formally tallies the resolution is unclear.
