Orlando Gutiérrez Boronat, the General Secretary of the Cuban Resistance Assembly, has forcefully countered the accusations made by Miguel Díaz-Canel and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla. They labeled him a "terrorist" and "fraudster" following his involvement in a forum on Cuba held at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The controversy erupted over the forum titled "Free Cuba: The Oppression Havana Hides," organized by U.S. Representative Mike Waltz on Sunday. The event also featured former political prisoners José Daniel Ferrer and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, among others. Rodríguez Parrilla took to social media, claiming that Waltz had "brought a known terrorist and fraudster" to the U.N., highlighting that Gutiérrez Boronat is on Cuba's list of individuals linked to terrorism and is "accused in Miami of embezzling millions from the U.S. federal budget." The following day, Díaz-Canel used his radio program "Shared Views" to denounce the forum as a "farce" with a "panel bought by the State Department, composed of convicted criminals."
Gutiérrez Boronat vehemently denied these accusations: "I am neither a terrorist nor a fraudster. I'm not a terrorist because I didn't seize power by planting bombs in theaters, parks, nightclubs, or hijacking civilian planes like the events of July 26."
The opposition leader directly addressed Díaz-Canel: "No one believes you anymore, neither inside Cuba nor outside, not even yourselves. That's why Soberón's hands were shaking while delivering a poorly read, nervous speech, because he knows he's lying."
Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, Cuba's permanent representative to the U.N., had also led a protest in the organization's corridors against the forum participants, shouting "Terrorists!" and "Liars!"—actions that critics on social media dubbed "diplomatic rabble."
Gutiérrez Boronat viewed the aggressive attacks as a sign of the regime's weakness: "The regime targets us because we will never compromise on the freedom and democracy of the Cuban people." He went further, encouraging those within the regime to defect, provide information, and sabotage the dictatorship. "Do everything you can from within to make that regime collapse as soon as possible," he urged.
The opposition figure also referenced an arrest warrant issued against Raúl Castro on October 16 by Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan, related to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder linked to the 1996 downing of two Brothers to the Rescue planes, which resulted in four deaths. "The criminals of the Gaesa corporation, who have plundered Cuba's vital resources, will pay," he warned.
This confrontation unfolds just days before the annual United Nations General Assembly vote on the Cuban resolution against the embargo, scheduled for October 27 and 28. International support for the resolution has steadily declined: from 187 votes in 2024 to 165 in October 2025, and down to just 136 in the extraordinary session of July 2026, marking the lowest level in over a decade.
"Their time is running out," Gutiérrez Boronat declared.
Understanding the Accusations Against Gutiérrez-Boronat
What led to Gutiérrez-Boronat being labeled a terrorist?
Gutiérrez-Boronat was labeled a "terrorist" by the Cuban regime following his participation in a U.N. forum that criticized Cuba's government. The accusations were part of a broader attempt to discredit him and the forum.
Why does Gutiérrez-Boronat believe the attacks signify weakness?
He perceives the regime's aggressive rhetoric as a sign of vulnerability, suggesting that their inability to tolerate dissent indicates fear of losing control.
How has international support for Cuba's resolution against the embargo changed?
Support has been waning over the years, dropping from 187 votes in 2024 to just 136 in a special session in July 2026, the lowest in more than a decade.