During a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla declared that "you won't find in Cuba any images like these of violent repression against protesters," as he displayed photographs of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
This statement came during a special session requested by the Cuban regime to discuss the U.S. embargo. It was a direct response to U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz, who had previously shown images of Cuban political prisoners and read aloud their names, including Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Maykel Osorbo, and Duannis León Taboada, the latter a 24-year-old sentenced to 14 years in prison, among others.
Rodríguez's remarks stand in stark contrast to well-documented realities. Following the July 11, 2021 protests—the largest in Cuba in decades—the regime arrested over 1,500 individuals. Human Rights Watch documented beatings, torture, and closed-door trials with severe sentences. As of May 2026, human rights organizations estimate there are 1,281 political prisoners in Cuba, 338 of whom are still serving sentences related to the July 11th demonstrations.
In his address, Rodríguez showed images of blackouts in Havana, operating rooms lit by cell phone flashlights, and ox-drawn carts delivering humanitarian aid, attributing these hardships to the "U.S. energy blockade."
Shifting Focus to U.S. Incidents
The session coincided with Cuba experiencing its third total electrical system collapse of the year. Rodríguez also referenced incidents in the U.S. to divert attention: he mentioned Lian Conejo Ramos, a five-year-old detained by ICE in January in Minneapolis and released ten days later by court order, as well as Renée Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen who died during an ICE operation under controversial circumstances.
The speech contained personal attacks on Waltz, whom Rodríguez called an "insignificant official," and warned, "No one will know who you are soon."
Defending the Cuban Regime
Rodríguez also defended Raúl Castro, describing him as someone "ready to defend our homeland," and announced that Cuba would soon celebrate Fidel Castro's centenary.
Waltz did not remain silent. When Rodríguez attempted to interrupt him with procedural motions—rejected by the Assembly's presidency—the ambassador retorted, "You can do what you want. This is not Havana; this is the United States of America and the United Nations. We will speak, and we will not be silenced as you do with your people."
The U.S. official also accused the regime of imposing an actual embargo on its own people, highlighting that the military conglomerate GAESA controls an $18 billion fund without a "penny reaching the Cuban people," and questioned, "How is there no fuel for hospitals, but there is for the Castro family's private jet?"
The debate concluded with 136 votes in favor, a significant decrease from the 165 votes in October 2025, marking Cuba's worst result in over thirty years and reflecting the regime's growing diplomatic isolation on the international stage.
The five-year sentence of artist and political prisoner Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara ended on Thursday, July 9, just two days after Rodríguez denied the existence of repression in Cuba to the world.
Key Questions on Cuban Repression and U.S. Relations
What was the context of Bruno Rodríguez's statement at the UN?
Bruno Rodríguez made his statement during a special UN session called by the Cuban regime to discuss the U.S. embargo, responding to U.S. accusations of political repression in Cuba.
How many political prisoners are estimated to be in Cuba as of 2026?
As of May 2026, human rights organizations estimate there are 1,281 political prisoners in Cuba, with 338 still serving sentences related to the July 11, 2021 protests.