Mike Waltz, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, challenged the Cuban regime with a pointed inquiry during the General Assembly: If there is no fuel for hospitals and citizens lack food, how is there fuel for the Castro family's private jet, and how can President Díaz-Canel afford a Hermès tie, a Rolex watch, and a Montblanc pen?
This speech took place on Tuesday during a special session called by the Cuban regime to discuss the U.S. embargo, right as Cuba experienced its third complete collapse of the National Electric System in 2026, which began on July 6 with a deficit reaching 2,230 MW.
"Regrettably, Cuba is once again in darkness. There's a new blackout across the island. What a surprise: there always seems to be light and electricity for the regime, for the dictatorship. Right now, there's electricity in the Castro family compound," Waltz declared to the delegates gathered in New York.
The Elite's Contradictions
Waltz directly addressed the stark contrast between the Cuban people's suffering and the privileges enjoyed by the ruling class: "How is there fuel for the Castro family's private jet? How can the president afford a Hermès tie, a Rolex watch, or the Montblanc he uses to write? How can the Castro family possess 700 mansions on the island, on the Costa del Sol, and in Moscow?"
He also criticized the military conglomerate GAESA, claiming it controls half of Cuba's economy and manages an $18 billion trust fund, from which, he argued, "not a penny goes to the Cuban people."
International Exploitation and Human Rights Violations
The ambassador further condemned the regime for sending doctors and nurses abroad while withholding their salaries—a practice he labeled as "slave trade"—and forcing thousands of Cubans to fight in Ukraine, with their wages directly benefiting the regime's coffers.
During his address, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla attempted to interrupt Waltz twice with procedural motions, both of which were overruled by the Assembly's president. In his first attempt, Rodríguez accused the U.S. diplomat of lying and stated that the UN "is not a Green Beret camp," remarks that were recorded in the session's minutes.
Waltz remained firm in his response: "The truth offends, and the truth is not disrespectful. I'm sorry that the Cuban delegation does not want to hear this."
Highlighting Political Prisoners
In a striking move, the ambassador displayed photographs of political prisoners before the Assembly and read their names aloud: Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Fernando Almadévez Rivera, Miguel Castillo Pérez, Duanes León Tovero—sentenced to 14 years—and the brothers Jorge and Martín Perdomo. "They are not violent, they have no weapons. They carry flowers and write poetry and songs," he stated.
Waltz reminded everyone that this month marks the fifth anniversary of the July 11, 2021 protests, when thousands of Cubans took to the streets, and the regime responded by imprisoning 800 of its own citizens.
He was unequivocal about the regime's central argument: blaming the United States is La Habana's only remaining economic strategy. "The only embargo is the guillotine the regime holds over the heads of its own citizens," he asserted.
The General Assembly approved the urgent debate with 136 votes in favor, nine against, and 30 abstentions, a notably lower level of support than the 165 votes Cuba received in the annual vote of October 2025, the worst result in over three decades.
"The world doesn't need to help the Cuban government conceal its greed, corruption, and incompetence. The Cuban people deserve freedom," Waltz concluded before the Assembly.
Key Issues in U.S.-Cuba Relations
What was the main accusation made by the U.S. ambassador against the Cuban regime?
The U.S. ambassador accused the Cuban elite of living in luxury while ordinary citizens suffer from shortages of basic necessities, highlighting the contradiction between the regime's opulence and the people's hardships.
How does the ambassador describe the economic situation regarding the military conglomerate GAESA?
The ambassador claimed that GAESA controls half of Cuba's economy and manages an $18 billion trust fund, which does not benefit the Cuban populace.
What human rights issues were highlighted by Mike Waltz in his address?
Waltz highlighted the regime's exploitation of Cuban medical professionals by sending them abroad and retaining their wages, as well as the forced involvement of Cuban fighters in Ukraine.