US envoy and Cuban foreign minister clash during UN debate — The National

US envoy to the UN Mike Waltz and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla clashed during a UN General Assembly debate on the long-standing US trade embargo against Cuba. The body, which includes 193 member states, was considering a resolution calling for the restrictions to be lifted.

Dispute during the speech

As The National reports, the conflict began after Waltz accused the Cuban authorities of enriching the political elite amid food shortages, power outages and the economic hardships of ordinary citizens. Rodríguez Parrilla interrupted him several times, demanding that the US representative be called to order over what he considered insulting remarks about the government and people of Cuba.

As tensions rose, Waltz demanded that members of the Cuban delegation step away from the podium. He said that he represented the United States and would not be intimidated. UN General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman temporarily suspended the meeting, after which he allowed the Cuban minister to make a procedural remark.

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Statements by the sides and the resolution

Rodríguez Parrilla accused Waltz of lying and violating the dignity of the assembly, stating that the US representative was insulting the Cuban people and government. He later interrupted the speech again when Waltz displayed photographs that, he said, showed the luxurious lifestyle of representatives of Cuba's ruling elite.

Since 1992, the UN General Assembly has almost every year overwhelmingly supported calls to lift the US embargo, which has been in force for more than 60 years. Such resolutions are non-binding, and only the US Congress can lift the embargo. Since the beginning of the year, President Donald Trump's administration has increased pressure on Havana by restricting oil supplies and threatening tariffs on countries that supply Cuba with fuel.