U.S. and Cuban Officials Clash in Shouting Match on UN General Assembly Floor

U.S. and Cuban officials traded shouts on the floor of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, the latest public dispute between the longtime adversaries as Washington intensifies its economic pressure on Havana.

The confrontation began shortly after Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the UN, took the podium to urge member states to reject the annual resolution condemning the decades-old U.S. economic embargo on Cuba. As Waltz described years of alleged corruption by the island's socialist government, members of the Cuban delegation pounded on their table and called for a point of order.

While UN officials tried to calm the situation, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla walked down the aisle toward the head of the Assembly and shouted at Waltz, "You are a liar!" Waltz replied, "You understand who you're dealing with? This is America. Back up."

The exchange marked a striking departure from the diplomatic decorum usually observed at the UN. It also reflected the sharpened tensions between the two countries as President Donald Trump's administration works to force changes to Cuba's political system by expanding an already punishing economic campaign.

Cuba, which was already struggling with long-running economic and financial troubles, is being pushed toward a breaking point. In late January, Trump announced tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to the island. The warning has effectively cut off Cuba's fuel supply, causing widespread blackouts that disrupt cooking, water supply, internet and telephone service.

Cuban officials have repeatedly argued that Washington is contradicting itself. They say the United States demands that Cuba open up to private investment while continuing to add sanctions that undermine the very economic opening it has pursued for decades.

Tuesday's outburst came a week after a similar encounter between Waltz and his Cuban counterpart, Ernesto Soberón Guzmán. That confrontation took place outside a U.S.-hosted panel featuring Cuban dissidents and former prisoners, which aimed to highlight allegations of repressive conduct by the Cuban government.

Waltz and other U.S. officials have used such events and gatherings at the world body to lobby UN members to vote against the resolution on Wednesday. The measure calls out what it describes as the U.S. government's "maximum pressure policy" toward Cuba.

The resolution has drawn overwhelming support for 34 years. Last year's vote was 165-7, with 12 abstentions, and Argentina, Ukraine and Hungary opposed it for the first time. Canada has consistently voted in favour. Earlier this year, Global Affairs Canada announced $5.5 million in new support for Cubans, following $8 million in accelerated funds provided in February to expand food aid. Although such resolutions are not legally binding, they reflect world opinion.