Sigue a Cubanos por el Mundo y elígenos como fuente preferida.
The United States ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, denounced the luxuries of the Castro family and the privileges of the elite tied to the Cuban regime on Tuesday, October 27, during a General Assembly session that ended in a confrontation with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla.
The US diplomat showed photographs of the assets and travels of figures close to power in Cuba as he questioned the scarcity endured by the population and the repression against those who criticize the regime. The display drew an angry reaction from the Cuban delegation: Rodríguez shouted the US representative down while other members of the mission banged on the tables to protest his remarks.
“This is not Havana”: the Waltz–Rodríguez clash
The confrontation unfolded during the annual debate on Havana’s resolution against the US embargo. While the ambassador spoke, Rodríguez rose to demand that the Assembly president call the US diplomat to order. The interruption raised the tension in the plenary and prompted a direct response from Waltz.
“Imagine what happens when someone asks these questions in Havana, not in a room full of ambassadors and cameras,” the US representative said, according to the Spanish interpretation carried during the broadcast. He then turned to the Cuban foreign minister: “This is not your communist dictatorship.” He added that Rodríguez would not intimidate him “in the United States of America the way you try to intimidate political prisoners,” and closed with: “Step back, ambassador. This is not Havana.”
Photos of the Castro elite’s privileges
One of the central moments of the speech came when Waltz presented images tied to the luxuries of the Castro family and of people linked to the island’s circles of power. Among them were Fidel Castro wearing two Rolex watches, Sandro Castro flashing cash, and Antonio Castro enjoying a yacht in the Mediterranean. He also displayed images of ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel with luxury accessories, as well as exclusive properties in Varadero and Cayo Piedra.
Sigue a Cubanos por el Mundo y elígenos como fuente preferida.
“The regime can never find enough fuel for Cuban ambulances. They can never find enough fuel for Cuban buses. But when the Castro family wants to go on a yacht, suddenly it is not a problem,” Waltz said, contrasting the failures of public services with the spending power of the ruling elite.
Bruno Rodríguez accused Waltz of lying
After being given the floor on the condition that he limit himself to a procedural question, Rodríguez accused the US ambassador of lying “grossly” and of offending “the dignity of the people and the government of Cuba,” according to EFE. He also questioned Waltz’s performance at the United Nations and advised him to learn the rules of procedure. The Assembly president said the Cuban diplomat’s remarks would be entered into the record and returned the floor to the United States.
The embargo back at the center of the debate
During his remarks, Waltz urged member states to vote against Havana’s resolution. He said US companies exported more than 876 million dollars in goods to Cuba in the first eight months of the year, according to EFE, and accused Fidel Castro of having sent minorities to concentration camps. “Do not contribute with your votes to the mistreatment of the Cuban people,” he said.
The General Assembly continues the debate on Wednesday, October 28, with a vote expected that day. It is the thirty-fourth time the text has been put to a vote. In 2025 it passed with 165 votes in favor, seven against and 12 abstentions. The resolution is non-binding, and lifting the embargo depends on the United States Congress.
With information from EFE.
Read this story in Spanish: Mike Waltz denuncia los lujos de la familia Castro en la ONU.
Sigue a Cubanos por el Mundo y elígenos como fuente preferida.
