The U.S. State Department announced on Thursday that Richard Tur de la Concepción, the first secretary of Cuba's Permanent Mission to the UN, has left American soil after being declared persona non grata by Washington, as reported by Martí Noticias.
"We've made it clear to the Cuban mission that this individual is not welcome in the United States, and as a result, he has departed the country," stated a spokesperson for the department.
In a more severe tone, the State Department further criticized the regime: "Members of Cuba's incompetent communist regime have revealed their true nature through their intimidation and oppression tactics. Such tactics will neither succeed nor be tolerated."
Incident Sparks Diplomatic Expulsion
The expulsion was triggered by an incident on Tuesday, October 27, during the annual General Assembly debate on the U.S. embargo against Cuba. Tur attempted to snatch the phone from J.P. Freire, the chief of Strategic Communications for the U.S. mission to the UN, striking at him while he recorded the session.
Ambassador Mike Waltz announced the action later that night on Fox News' Hannity show, following Secretary of State Marco Rubio's endorsement: "He will leave. He will be on a plane to Havana within the next 24 hours. If you lay a finger on an American here in the United States, President Trump, Secretary Rubio, and I will not tolerate it."
The next day, Waltz emphasized the warning to the General Assembly itself: "If you lay a hand on a U.S. diplomat in this body, there will be consequences."
Freire Responds to Altercation
Freire also publicly addressed the confrontation. "Their own team was filming throughout the room. It's odd to think he believed I was invading his privacy," he wrote on X, adding, "While the Cuban mission tries to silence criticism of the Castro regime's abuse and opulence, they want to leverage American rights they don't even comprehend."
The Cuban mission presented a conflicting account. In a letter dated October 27, Ambassador Ernesto Soberón accused Freire of harassing Tur, invading his personal space, and continuing to record despite objections, requesting intervention from the UN's security offices.
Background and Repercussions
Tur's background adds another layer to the affair. According to a Martí Noticias investigation, relatives and former diplomat Joel Suárez confirmed Tur's links to Cuban intelligence services, noting that his father, Ricardo Tur Novo, operated under diplomatic cover in Bolivia, Paraguay, and Jamaica under the alias "Roger."
The scandal also jeopardized his candidacy for the UN's Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions for the 2027-2029 term, to which Cuba had nominated him, with the vote scheduled for November 2026.
Escalating Tensions Between Delegations
This incident is part of an ongoing escalation between the two delegations throughout the year. On October 19, Cuban diplomats led by Soberón staged a protest in the UN corridors against former political prisoners José Daniel Ferrer and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara. Even Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla left his seat to approach the podium while Waltz spoke on October 27, prompting Assembly President Khalilur Rahman to briefly suspend the session.
The annual resolution against the embargo was passed on Wednesday with only 130 votes in favor, 17 against, and 25 abstentions, marking Cuba's worst result since 1992, compared to 187 votes in 2024 and 165 in 2025.
Questions About U.S.-Cuba Diplomatic Relations
Why was Richard Tur expelled from the United States?
Richard Tur was expelled after an incident where he attempted to seize a phone from a U.S. official during a UN General Assembly session, which led to his designation as persona non grata by the U.S. government.
What was the U.S. State Department's response to the incident?
The State Department condemned the actions of the Cuban regime, stating that intimidation and oppression tactics would not be tolerated, and confirmed Tur's departure from the U.S.
How did the Cuban mission respond to the allegations?
The Cuban mission claimed that J.P. Freire invaded Tur's personal space and continued to record him despite objections, and sought UN security intervention.
What impact did the incident have on Cuba's position in the UN?
The incident could affect Cuba's diplomatic standing and Tur's candidacy for a UN committee position, amid ongoing tensions between U.S. and Cuban delegations.