Cuban Diplomat Ordered Off US Soil After UN Hall Confrontation
The ejection follows a shouting match between US and Cuban officials that ended with the diplomat swatting away a phone camera.
By Justin Brooks ·
A Cuban diplomat is flying back to Havana after US officials ordered him to leave the country following a physical altercation at the United Nations. The ejection marks a sharp escalation in tensions between Washington and Havana, occurring just days after a heated exchange on the floor of the UN General Assembly.
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz announced the decision on Tuesday evening. He stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed the paperwork to expel the first secretary of the Cuban delegation. Waltz described the diplomat as having shoved and attempted to assault a US representative.
“He’s gone. He’s going to be on a plane to Havana within the next 24 hours,” Waltz told Fox News. He added that the diplomat would be on a flight back to Cuba and out of the United States by Wednesday.
The incident that triggered the expulsion unfolded during a Tuesday session debating the US economic embargo against Cuba. Videos from the hall show members of the Cuban delegation striking a table in frustration. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla shouted for a point of order and approached the podium while Waltz was speaking. The two men began shouting over each other.
“This individual needs to back away from this podium. He’s not going to intimidate me in the United States of America like he tries to intimidate political prisoners,” Waltz yelled. “I’m the representative of the United States of America. Back up!”
Witnesses reported hearing shouts calling Waltz a liar. A video shared by Waltz on X captured a Cuban diplomat swatting away a phone that was recording the scene. The diplomat claimed the person filming was violating their personal space. Later that day, the Cuban Mission to the UN sent a letter to the Secretary General. The letter alleged that a US diplomat invaded the space to film the exchange and posted the clips to social media to damage the diplomat’s reputation.
A State Department spokesperson confirmed the ejection on Wednesday. “We have made clear to the Cuba Mission that this individual is not welcome in the United States, and as a result this individual has left,” the spokesperson said. The department described the tactics used by the Cuban regime as intimidation and oppression that would not be tolerated.
The diplomatic friction coincides with a strong vote at the UN. On Wednesday, the General Assembly passed a resolution condemning the US embargo against Cuba. The final count was 130 votes in favor, 17 against, and 25 abstentions.
US officials have increased public rhetoric about potential action in Cuba in recent months. On Friday, Rubio posted on X that now was the time for those seeking positive change in the island to act. He referenced a “discrete partnership with the CIA.” Shortly after that post, the CIA released a video in Spanish with instructions on how to securely contact the agency. Two sources familiar with the matter said the CIA has been in touch with some Americans in Cuba, though those discussions are preliminary.
President Donald Trump has also weighed in. Speaking at a midterm rally in South Florida, he said the US would deal with Cuba on the “way back from Iran.” He described a plan where a ship would stop 50 yards off the coast and Rubio would be sent in to “finish up the game.” The Cuban Mission to the UN did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.
Source: CNN
