On Tuesday, October 27, 2026, U.S. and Cuban officials clashed in a dramatic shouting match on the United Nations General Assembly floor. The confrontation erupted after U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz criticized Cuba’s government, prompting Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez to walk down the aisle and yell, “You are a liar!”
The Bottom Line
- U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez engaged in a direct shouting match during a U.N. General Assembly debate on the U.S. economic embargo.
- The clash follows a series of tightening U.S. sanctions and a late-January oil tariff warning from President Donald Trump that has triggered severe fuel shortages across Cuba.
- The U.N. General Assembly is set to vote on Wednesday on an annual resolution condemning the U.S. embargo, a measure that has received overwhelming international support for the past 34 years.
Diplomatic Decorum Shattered on the U.N. Floor
The confrontation unfolded shortly after U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz took the podium. Waltz urged member states to vote against the annual resolution condemning Washington’s decades-long economic embargo against the island nation.
“This is America. Back up.” US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz clashes with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla during a UN General Assembly session after Rodríguez accuses him of lying. pic.twitter.com/RdqKCaaZ9x
As Waltz detailed years of alleged corruption by the socialist government, members of the Cuban delegation began slamming on their designated tables. They yelled for a point of order as U.N. officials tried to restore calm.
Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez then walked down the aisle to the head of the General Assembly. Pointing toward the U.S. delegation, Rodríguez yelled, “You are a liar!”
Waltz fired back from the podium, stating, “You understand who you’re dealing with? This is America. Back up.” The exchange marked a stark break from traditional diplomatic decorum at the international body.
Escalating Tariffs and Fuel Shortages Drive Tensions
The explosive U.N. floor debate reflects rapidly deteriorating relations between Washington and Havana. President Donald Trump’s administration has intensified its economic campaign to force changes within Cuba’s political system.
In late January, President Trump announced that the U.S. would impose tariffs on any country supplying oil to Cuba. That warning effectively cut off fuel shipments to the island.
The resulting energy crisis has triggered widespread power outages. These blackouts have disrupted basic daily activities across the Caribbean nation, including cooking, water supply systems, and telecommunication networks.
Cuban officials have repeatedly argued that while Washington publicly demands economic openings and private investment, ongoing U.S. sanctions actively stymie trade and development.
The Diplomatic Battleground Leading to Wednesday’s Vote
Tuesday’s shouting match occurred a week after a similar confrontation. Last week, Ambassador Waltz and Cuban counterpart Ernesto Soberón Guzmán clashed outside a U.S.-hosted panel.
That panel featured Cuban dissidents and former prisoners to highlight allegations of government oppression. U.S. officials have utilized these public forums at the United Nations to lobby member states ahead of Wednesday’s vote.
Washington aims to peel away support for the annual U.N. resolution condemning its “maximum pressure policy” against Cuba. For the past 34 years, the measure has received overwhelming support.
| Resolution Metric | Previous Year Vote | Context |
|---|---|---|
| In Favor | 165 | Overwhelming global support |
| Opposed | 7 | Included Argentina, Ukraine, and Hungary for the first time |
| Abstentions | 12 | Reflects shifting diplomatic stances |
While U.N. General Assembly resolutions carry no legal binding power, they reflect world opinion. The outcome of Wednesday’s vote will test whether Washington’s lobbying efforts and maximum pressure campaign have shifted global alliances.
