U.S. and Cuba clash on UN floor before annual embargo vote
Ambassadors traded insults Tuesday ahead of a Wednesday vote expected to condemn U.S. trade restrictions for the 35th time.
By Carolina Wood ·
The United Nations General Assembly will vote on Wednesday to condemn the U.S. economic embargo on Cuba. This annual resolution has been on the docket for 34 consecutive years. It typically passes with a large majority from the 193 member states. Last year, 165 nations voted in favor, seven opposed, and 12 abstained.
Diplomats expect a similar result this year, though the outcome could shift if the Trump administration's push to influence the vote sways Western allies. The resolution carries no legal weight, but it signals global opinion on the trade barriers that have been in place since 1960.
Tensions between Washington and Havana escalated last week when President Donald Trump suggested U.S. warships might stop in Cuba while returning from the Iran conflict. The comments came as Cuba faced deepening financial crises, including widespread power outages caused by fuel shortages.
The dispute moved from policy papers to the UN floor on Tuesday. U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz was addressing the hall when Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez walked down to the podium. Rodríguez called Waltz a liar and sought a point of order from the presiding official.
Waltz told security staff and Rodríguez to move away from the microphone. He stated, “This individual needs to back away from this podium. He’s not going to intimidate me in the United States of America.” He added, “You understand who you’re dealing with? This is America. Back up.”
Rodríguez responded on the social platform X, noting that the exchange was taking place at the UN, not a White House meeting. He described the U.S. stance as a desperate attempt to justify economic aggression and a criminal energy blockade. A similar confrontation occurred a week earlier outside a U.S.-hosted panel featuring Cuban dissidents.
Cuba has struggled for decades with economic and financial instability. The situation worsened in late January when Trump announced tariffs on countries selling oil to the island. That move effectively cut off fuel supplies, leading to disruptions in cooking, water, and telecommunications services.
