Trump official is called a 'liar' during shouting match with Cuban officials at UN

A heated clash erupted at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday when Cuba's foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez, confronted U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz. Waltz was urging member states to reject the yearly resolution against the American economic embargo on Cuba, scheduled for a vote Wednesday, and was recounting what he described as years of corruption under Cuba's socialist government. Cuban delegates pounded their table and demanded a point of order. Rodríguez then strode to the front of the hall and shouted that Waltz was a liar. Waltz answered that Rodríguez should step back, saying he was dealing with America, according to The Independent.

The episode comes as President Donald Trump's administration tries to compel political change in Cuba through heavier economic pressure. In late January, Trump said countries supplying oil to Cuba would face tariffs, which has effectively choked off the island's fuel and caused blackouts that disrupt cooking, water, internet and phone service. Cuban officials counter that Washington demands private investment while adding sanctions that block it.

Seven days earlier, Waltz had also tangled with Cuba's U.N. representative, Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, at a U.S.-sponsored event with dissidents. The measure has passed overwhelmingly for 34 years; last year's tally was 165-7, with 12 abstentions.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →