Waltz and Cuba's Foreign Minister Clash at UN Podium Over Embargo Vote

U.S. and Cuban diplomats shouted at each other on the floor of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.

The exchange started after U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz took the podium to argue against a scheduled vote on an annual resolution condemning the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba. As Waltz discussed allegations of corruption by the Cuban government, members of Cuba's delegation, among them Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, banged on their assigned table and called for a point of order. As U.N. officials worked to quiet the room, Rodríguez left his seat, walked to the head of the General Assembly and yelled at Waltz, "You are a liar!" Waltz replied, "You understand who you're dealing with? This is America. Back up."

The clash arrives amid increased economic pressure on Havana. President Donald Trump announced in late January that tariffs would apply to any country selling or providing oil to Cuba. That warning cut off fuel to the island, bringing widespread power outages that affect cooking, water supply, and internet and telephone services. Cuba has also faced years of economic and financial trouble.

Waltz's confrontation with Rodríguez followed a similar exchange one week earlier between Waltz and Cuban counterpart Ernesto Soberón Guzmán. That interaction took place outside a U.S.-hosted panel involving Cuban dissidents and former prisoners that focused on allegations about the island government's conduct.

Waltz and other U.S. officials have appeared at events at the world body aimed at persuading U.N. member states to vote against the resolution scheduled for Wednesday. That resolution addresses what it describes as the U.S. government's "maximum pressure policy" against Cuba.

The resolution has drawn heavy support for 34 years. Last year's tally was 165-7 with 12 abstentions, and Argentina, Ukraine and Hungary voted against it for the first time. The resolutions do not carry legal force but record the views of member states.