In a bold move during the annual debate on the embargo, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, issued a direct challenge to the Cuban regime. He stressed that the fuel sent from Washington to Cuba should reach ordinary citizens and farmers, rather than the luxurious yachts of the Castro family.
“The Havana regime despises the fact that the U.S. is the largest fuel supplier to the Cuban private sector. We’d rather see this fuel benefit the Cuban people directly than end up on the Castro family's lavish yacht or in their private kitchens,” Waltz declared to the General Assembly.
Waltz supported his argument with solid figures: In the first eight months of 2026, American companies exported goods worth $876 million to Cuba, with approximately $231 million earmarked solely for fuel intended for the Cuban private sector.
“This year alone, U.S. companies have exported nearly a billion dollars in goods—$876 million, to be precise—to Cuba, including a quarter of a billion in fuel. The U.S. has become the largest fuel supplier to the private sector. It's the term 'private sector' that infuriates Havana and this communist regime,” Waltz emphasized.
Such fuel exports were nearly nonexistent until less than a year ago; throughout 2025, they amounted to a mere $310,000. The growth began in February 2026 when the Trump administration authorized operations with Cuban private enterprises. Sales to the Cuban state and its companies remain prohibited.
Waltz’s remarks came a day after he presented delegates with images showcasing the opulence of the Cuban elite: Fidel Castro’s Rolex watches valued at $40,000, Hermès ties and Montblanc pens of Díaz-Canel, a 14,000 square meter mansion in Varadero, the private island Cayo Piedra, and a 50-meter yacht.
The debate spiraled into one of the most chaotic episodes in recent UN history. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla physically approached the podium where Waltz was speaking, forcing the Assembly President to briefly suspend the session.
Additionally, the first secretary of the Cuban delegation, Richard Tur de la Concepción, was accused of attempting to seize the phone from Waltz’s spokesperson while recording the altercation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed an expulsion order for Tur, who was required to leave the U.S. within 24 hours. Waltz firmly stated, “If you lay a hand on a U.S. diplomat in this body, there will be consequences.”
In his C-SPAN captured response to the Cuban Foreign Minister, Waltz criticized the regime’s hypocrisy: “Why do Cuba’s leaders come to this body to talk about the Cuban people’s suffering and, in an ultimate display of hypocrisy, enjoy luxury watches, Rolex, yachts, mansions, and even their own private islands, while the Cuban people go hungry and live in darkness?”
Rodríguez Parrilla did not address any of these questions during his over thirty-minute speech, as Waltz pointed out, using the time instead to blame Washington.
The voting results reflected the regime’s growing isolation: the annual resolution calling for the embargo’s end received 130 votes in favor, 17 against, and 25 abstentions, marking the worst historical outcome for Havana. In 2024, the same resolution had garnered 187 votes in favor and only two against.
Key Questions on U.S. Fuel Exports to Cuba
What prompted the increase in U.S. fuel exports to Cuba?
The increase began in February 2026 when the Trump administration allowed operations with Cuban private enterprises. Prior to this, fuel exports were minimal.
How did the Cuban regime react to Ambassador Waltz's statements?
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla approached the podium, leading to a temporary suspension of the session, while another delegate faced expulsion for attempting to interfere with Waltz's spokesperson.
What were the results of the UN vote on the embargo?
The vote resulted in 130 in favor, 17 against, and 25 abstentions, indicating increased isolation for the Cuban regime compared to previous years.