Diplomat from Cuba Attempts to Snatch Phone from Waltz's Spokesperson During UN Confrontation

A representative from the Cuban delegation made an attempt to seize the phone of J.P. Freire, spokesperson for U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz at the United Nations, while Freire was recording a heated exchange that erupted on Tuesday during the General Assembly session. This incident was captured in a video shared by Waltz on his X account.

The confrontation took place amid the annual debate on the U.S. embargo against Cuba. During the session, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla left his seat and approached the podium aggressively as Waltz addressed global delegates about the wealth amassed by the regime's elite.

In the brief 20-second footage, Freire can be heard telling the Cuban official, "You can't, you can't. What are you doing? You're violating my personal space. It's not allowed." The footage concludes with the regime official being escorted away from that section of the hall.

Waltz later took to X to condemn the incident, describing it as part of a broader pattern of intimidation: initially, a Cuban "diplomat" attempted to pressure UN staff into cutting the microphones during his speech exposing regime corruption; upon being alerted by a U.S. aide, the same official sought to intimidate him as well.

"One of the regime's 'diplomats' tried to bully UN staff into silencing our microphones as I revealed the regime's wrongdoings to the world," Waltz stated on his account.

The podium exchange was equally charged. According to the New York Post, Rodríguez accused Waltz of lying as he approached the lectern, to which the ambassador shouted back, "Back off!" and "You won't intimidate me or the United States of America, like you try to do with political prisoners."

Khalilur Rahman, presiding over the General Assembly, temporarily halted the session and instructed the Cuban Foreign Minister to return to his seat: "Please return to your seat."

Undeterred, Waltz warned Rodríguez from the podium: "Mr. Foreign Minister, here's how this is going to work: every time you interrupt me, I'll continue explaining how corrupt this regime is, and I'll do it more slowly."

From the microphone, the Cuban minister retorted: "Mr. Waltz, you lie again. I wish you better success in your future political roles."

During his address, Waltz showcased images of two Rolex watches owned by dictator Fidel Castro, valued at around $40,000 today—equivalent, as he noted, to 55 years of an average Cuban's salary—as well as luxury items belonging to President Miguel Díaz-Canel. He also displayed photos of the Castro family's properties, including a 14,000-square-meter beach retreat in Varadero, a private island named Cayo Piedra with a floating restaurant and dolphin lagoon, and a 50-meter yacht cruising the Mediterranean.

The ambassador further cited a Miami Herald investigation revealing that GAESA, the regime's military conglomerate, amassed $18 billion in profits and $14 billion in cash stashed in secret accounts.

This episode is the peak of escalating confrontations between the two delegations throughout 2026. In July, Rodríguez attempted to silence U.S. representative Jeffrey Bartos with two points of order during a special session, both of which were overruled. In mid-October, Cuban diplomats staged a protest in the UN corridors against former political prisoners José Daniel Ferrer and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara during the "Cuba Libre" forum organized by the U.S. mission.

Waltz concluded his speech with a direct appeal to member countries: "Colleagues, these bullies are asking for your vote. Do not give Havana another propaganda victory. Do not vote for the mistreatment of the Cuban people."