Mike Waltz reveals Cuban diplomat shoved US staffer, slapped phone away in explosive UN clash
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said a Cuban diplomat was expelled from the United States after shoving a staffer and slapping a phone out of his hand during a confrontation at the UN.
Waltz recounted the confrontation on his podcast, describing a moment that he feared would turn physical. He said the Cuban diplomat shoved a member of his staff and slapped a phone out of his hand while trying to bully U.N. staff into cutting his microphone.
The incident began during a speech on the floor of the U.N. General Assembly where Waltz was accusing Cuba's government of enriching its leaders while its people suffered.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla then approached the podium to interrupt Waltz's remarks.
"The guy that we actually put on a one-way flight back to his crumbling country shoved one of my staff, slapped the phone out of his hand, was trying to bully the U.N. staff into cutting my microphone. Then, their foreign minister gets up out of his chair and rushes the podium."
Accusations of hypocrisy
Waltz was holding up photos showing the deceased former Cuban President Fidel Castro's private island and luxury jet, as well as the Rolex watches, luxury vacations and yachts enjoyed by current regime leaders.
He said the Cuban regime 'has been exporting communism, their Marxist ideology, through leftist groups and current politicians right here in the United States' and blamed much of the unrest in America on '67 years of putting up with Havana.'
To back up his claims, Waltz pointed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio's 100-page report titled 'Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism,' which accuses the Cuban government of running espionage and influence operations in America.
"If they'll do that on the floor of the U.N. in front of diplomats, in front of the world, imagine what they do to these the poor Cuban people behind closed doors."
Future of Cuba
"I think the Cuban people will see freedom on President Trump's watch, and I'll just leave it at that."
Waltz finished his remarks with a prediction about the future of the Caribbean nation.
Related
