Historian Alina Bárbara López Hernández didn’t mince words when she described the actions of Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla and his delegation during the UN General Assembly debate on the U.S. embargo against Cuba as "an embarrassment." The Cuban diplomats disrupted U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz's speech with shouting and table banging.
López, who has been under house arrest in Matanzas since June 2024 related to the so-called "cause 40," took to Facebook shortly after the incident, which included members of the Cuban delegation approaching the podium where Waltz was speaking. The session had to be temporarily halted by the General Assembly President, Khalilur Rahman.
According to López, despite the right of reply that every diplomat holds at the UN, the behavior demonstrated by Minister Rodríguez and the Cuban delegation was disgraceful. She accused them of turning repudiation acts international and choosing insults over reasoning and arguments. "This episode reveals to the international community what those who dare to challenge power and express their opinions endure on the island," she asserted.
Past Incidents and Reactions
The activist also recalled a similar incident from 2018 when the Cuban delegation stirred controversy at the UN. "It's beneficial for this to happen, though it's not the first time; I recall in 2018 they removed their shoes and banged on tables—very civilized," she remarked. That disruption occurred during the launch of the U.S. campaign "Jailed for What?" and was labeled "outrageous and disturbing" by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
López's post sparked widespread reactions, with comments like "diplomacy of impunity" and "a disgrace at the UN." Some noted the irony of Cuba demanding international pluralism while banning it domestically. However, one dissenting voice argued, "It's not embarrassing because these people don't represent Cubans, dignity, or anything. It would embarrass me if it were a minister from a free, democratic country."
Details of the Controversy
During the annual embargo debate, Waltz criticized the Cuban government, highlighting human rights issues on the island, and declared amidst interruptions that the UN "is not your communist dictatorship."
Additionally, according to a report by elToque, a Cuban official, identified as Richard Tur de la Concepción from the Cuban Permanent Mission to the UN, allegedly tried to snatch the phone of Waltz's spokesperson during the confrontation. Waltz himself accused a Cuban diplomat of pressing UN staff to cut off Washington's microphones.
On October 19, Cuban diplomats led by Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán staged a protest against opponents José Daniel Ferrer and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara in the UN halls, calling them "terrorists," "liars," and demanding they "get out of the UN." Days later, Rodríguez labeled Otero Alcántara a "delinquent" and a "circus artist."
Rodríguez later shared a video of the altercation on the social media platform X, framing it as defending Cuban dignity and dismissing Waltz's speech as a "media circus."
Understanding the UN Debate on Cuba
What prompted the altercation at the UN involving Cuban diplomats?
The altercation was sparked during a debate on the U.S. embargo against Cuba, where Cuban diplomats disrupted U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz's speech with shouting and table banging.
How did Alina Bárbara López Hernández react to the incident?
López Hernández condemned the actions as an embarrassment, highlighting them as an example of how dissenters are treated in Cuba.
What was the reaction from the international community to the incident?
The incident drew widespread reactions with comments criticizing the behavior as a "diplomacy of impunity" and noting the irony of Cuba's international demands versus its domestic policies.