Cuba-US Tensions
Published Tuesday, October 27, 7:39 p.m. ET (7:39 p.m. Havana) · Source: UN General Assembly proceedings, UN News
The United Nations General Assembly, where all 193 member states have a seat, is usually a place of polished speeches, but on Tuesday afternoon a foreign minister walked down the aisle and shouted at an ambassador. Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez called Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the UN, a liar in the middle of the yearly debate on the American Cuba US tensions, and the session was briefly suspended.
The row broke out one day before the Assembly votes on whether to call for an end to the US embargo on the island. Our Cuba news page tracks every step of the dispute.
Key Facts
- What happened: Cuba’s foreign minister shouted “You are a liar” at the US ambassador during the UN debate.
- Who stepped in: Assembly president Khalilur Rahman, who chairs this year’s session, briefly suspended the sitting.
- What happens next: The Assembly votes on the Cuban resolution on Wednesday, October 28, the 34th such vote.
- Prediction markets: Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market, gives 9.5% to US military action against Cuba by December 31 (as of 7:36 p.m. ET, October 27).
This story is part of our coverage of the cuba news. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
In plain English
Every year, almost every country in the UN votes on a Cuban text that asks Washington to lift its trade embargo, a set of sanctions in place since the 1960s. The vote is symbolic, because the Assembly cannot force the United States to change policy, but it shows how isolated each side is.
A Shouting Match in the Assembly Hall
Waltz was urging countries to reject the Cuban text and blaming Havana’s own government for the island’s crisis. Cuban delegates banged on their table and called for a point of order, a rule that lets a delegate interrupt to raise a procedural objection.
Rodríguez then walked to the front of the hall and shouted “You are a liar.” Waltz told him to back off.
Assembly president Khalilur Rahman stepped in and the session was briefly suspended. Debate then resumed.
What Washington Says: “There Is No Blockade”
Waltz rejected the word “blockade” outright. “There is no blockade,” he said, arguing that Cuba’s shortages come from decisions of its own government, not from US policy.
He said US exports to Cuba exceeded US$876 million in the first eight months of 2026. That figure is his claim, and the UN did not independently verify it.
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What Havana Says
Rodríguez accused Waltz of lying and of offending the dignity of the Cuban people and government. He has also accused Washington of pressuring countries over how they vote.
The Trump administration recently tightened the embargo, and Cuba has faced fuel shortages and repeated blackouts.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market, traders put the chance of US military action against Cuba by December 31 at 9.5%, with about US$7.7 million traded. A separate market gives 5.5% to a US invasion of Cuba in 2026.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for US Readers
For Americans, the vote is a test of how many allies still back a policy that Washington has defended for decades. Travel, remittances and trade rules for Cuba are set by the US government, and the Assembly’s vote does not change them.
The clash also shows how sharp the language between the two governments has become. Expect the same tone on Wednesday, when countries cast their votes in public.
What Is Not Known
The exact time of the exchange has not been officially confirmed, and no full UN transcript is available yet. Accounts of the exact words differ slightly, so we quote only what more than one account carries.
No sanctions or disciplinary steps against either diplomat have been reported.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the UN between the US and Cuba?
Cuba’s foreign minister shouted “You are a liar” at the US ambassador during the debate on the embargo. The Assembly’s president briefly suspended the session.
When does the UN vote on the Cuba embargo?
The General Assembly votes on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. It is the 34th annual vote on a Cuban resolution, first put forward in 1992.
Sources: UN News, the UN’s official news service; UN General Assembly proceedings; Polymarket.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error
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