'You are a liar': US envoy Mike Waltz and Cuba's Foreign Minister clash at UN podium

New York: US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz engaged in a heated confrontation with Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla on Tuesday, after Parrilla approached Waltz’s podium mid-speech and accused him of dishonesty.

The altercation occurred ahead of a United Nations vote on whether to condemn the US embargo against Cuba, widely considered the longest-standing modern economic and trade blockade in history.

Parrilla claimed that the United States is coercing other member states to vote against condemning the embargo, particularly as recent energy restrictions have severely undermined Cuba’s once-celebrated healthcare system, doubling infant mortality rates and placing millions of citizens at risk.

Waltz devoted the entirety of his Tuesday address to criticising the Cuban government as corrupt, asserting that its leadership resides on private islands and wears expensive Rolex timepieces while shifting blame for domestic hardship, even as the US maintains its block on fuel shipments.

The American envoy held up a photograph depicting the late leader Fidel Castro wearing two Rolex watches, each valued at approximately $40,000.

“According to the regime’s own statistics, that would pay for 55 years of an average Cuban wage,” Waltz said, before presenting an image of Miguel Díaz-Canel and adding, “It didn’t just start with Castro. This is the current Cuban President, also with a Rolex on.”

As Waltz delivered his remarks, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla advanced toward the podium and accused the US representative of lying, prompting a sharp response of “Back up” from the American diplomat.

Parrilla interrupted the address by raising a point of order, asserting that General Assembly regulations had been violated. He cited Rule 71, which allows a representative to raise a point of order and requires the President to issue an immediate ruling according to established protocol.

Waltz rejected the intervention, stating that Parrilla simply did not “like” the arguments being presented.

“He doesn’t like the hard truths,” Waltz remarked as Parrilla stepped closer to the lectern while repeatedly demanding that his procedural objection be acknowledged. “You can come and intimidate all you want. I ask you to back away from this podium!”

Waltz subsequently addressed General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman.

“Mr President, this individual needs to back away from this podium. He’s not going to intimidate me in the United States of America like he tries to do to political prisoners! I’m the representative of the United States of America. Back up!”

“You are a liar!” Parrilla responded directly.

“Back away! … Do you understand who you’re dealing with?” Waltz warned as Parrilla maintained his accusation. “This is the United States of America. Back up.”

Formal proceedings were subsequently suspended.

Video footage obtained by The Post showed Waltz’s spokesperson, J.P. Freire, being physically confronted by a member of the Cuban delegation who attempted to seize Freire’s mobile device as he recorded the encounter.

ANI