WATCH: Mike Waltz tells Cuban delegation 'this is not Havana' during heated UN speech

Cuba’s overseas curate accused nan United States of committing an "act of war" by restricting substance shipments to nan land Tuesday, prompting U.S. Ambassador to nan United Nations Mike Waltz to present a forceful consequence blaming Cuba’s communist authorities for years of blackouts, repression and economical collapse.

The confrontation unfolded astatine nan U.N. General Assembly 1 time aft Cuba’s nationalist electrical grid collapsed, leaving astir 10 cardinal group without power. It was nan 3rd nationwide grid nonaccomplishment this twelvemonth and nan eighth since October 2025, Reuters reported.

Cuban officials had restored energy to parts of cardinal Cuba and astir one-third of Havana by Tuesday morning, though ample areas remained offline aliases faced unstable service, according to Reuters.

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U.S. Ambassador to nan United Nations Mike Waltz holds up a photograph of a jailed Cuban dissidents during a General Assembly statement connected nan U.S. embargo against Cuba astatine U.N. office successful New York connected July 7, 2026. (UNTV)

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez told delegates that nan Trump management was carrying retired a "multidimensional, non-conventional war" against Cuba that had grown "more sadistic and ruthless successful nan past 7 months."

Rodríguez described U.S. efforts to restrict substance deliveries arsenic nan imposition of "an power collapse, balanced to a naval blockade, which is an enactment of war," according to a UNTV transcript.

Waltz rejected nan declare that nan United States had established a naval blockade astir Cuba.

"There is nary ringing of Navy warships, U.S. Navy warships sitting astir this land blocking waste and acquisition aliases humanitarian assistance going into Cuba," Waltz said. "It’s fake. It’s false. It’s a lie. Period."

Waltz based on that nan existent embargo was nan 1 Cuba’s authorities imposed connected its ain citizens.

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People locomotion connected nan thoroughfare during a nationalist electrical grid collapse, successful Havana, Cuba, March 14, 2025. (Norlys Perez/Reuters)

"There’s a batch of talk coming of an embargo. And so location is one," he said. "It’s nan embargo nan Cuban authorities mercilessly imposes connected its ain group decade aft decade aft decade."

He called connected Havana to "change your ways" and "turn nan lights backmost connected for your people," while accusing Cuba’s leaders of ensuring that authorities compounds and propaganda operations had powerfulness moreover arsenic families worried astir spoiled food, hospitals losing energy and phones moving retired of charge.

Waltz noted that Tuesday’s gathering came days earlier nan 5th day of nan July 11, 2021, demonstrations, erstwhile thousands of Cubans took to nan streets amid shortages of food, medicine and energy and demanded greater freedom.

As Waltz spoke, a personnel of nan Cuban delegation pounded connected nan table, prompting nan ambassador to respond.

"This is not Havana. This is nan United States of America. This is nan United Nations," Waltz said. "And we will speak, we will beryllium heard, and we will not beryllium silenced for illustration your ain people. So, lb away."

Waltz displayed photographs and publication nan names of respective jailed Cuban artists, musicians and activists, including Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Maykel Castillo Pérez and Duannis Dabel León Taboada.

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Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla speaks during a news convention successful Havana, Cuba. (Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini)

"They’re not armed. They’re not violent," Waltz said. "They transportation flowers, and constitute poems and constitute music. And for that, nan authorities thumps them, detains them and tries to break them."

Waltz besides said GAESA, Cuba’s military-run conglomerate, controls astir half of nan country’s system and holds $18 cardinal successful assets.

Reuters has reported that estimates of GAESA’s economical scope range from astir 40% to 70%, while Cuban officials conflict nan U.S. government’s $18 cardinal figure.

Waltz said that contempt Cuba’s blockade claims, humanitarian assistance had precocious arrived from countries including China, Russia, Mexico, Canada and Spain, arsenic good arsenic from nan European Union and nan United Nations.

He besides said nan United States had provided much than $100 cardinal successful assistance this twelvemonth and astir $500 cardinal annually successful commodities.

"The reply is simple: because blaming nan United States is nan only economical scheme Havana has left," Waltz said of Cuba’s determination to bring nan rumor earlier nan General Assembly.

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Protesters stitchery extracurricular a Communist Party office successful Morón, Cuba, arsenic a occurrence burns successful nan thoroughfare during overnight unrest. Video obtained by Fox News Digital appeared to show demonstrators attempting to group occurrence to nan building amid protests linked to wide blackouts. (Reuters)

Before nan wider debate, U.S. Representative for U.N. Management and Reform Jeffrey Bartos objected to reopening nan schedule point and called for a ballot connected whether nan proceedings should spell forward.

Bartos said nan three-hour gathering would costs astir $84,000, money he based on could alternatively supply food, emergency aesculapian supplies and star lanterns to Cuban families.

"Right now, Cuba is successful acheronian — again," Bartos said. "I impulse nan Cuban regime: move nan lights backmost connected for your people."

Members of nan Cuban delegation besides interrupted Bartos respective times by pounding connected nan table. Bartos astatine 1 constituent paused and responded, "Keep banging away. It’s very effective," earlier continuing his remarks.

Bartos accused Havana of seeking "another propaganda clip" alternatively than solutions and pointed to what he said were much than 800 governmental prisoners held by nan government.

Independent organizations person produced varying estimates. Human Rights Watch said successful April that much than 700 group remained imprisoned for governmental reasons, while Prisoners Defenders reported much than 1,200 governmental prisoners successful Cuba successful nan outpouring of 2026. Cuba denies holding anyone for governmental reasons.

"That is nan existent Cuban embargo," Bartos said. "It is nan embargo nan authorities imposes connected its ain people: connected speech, connected faith, connected enterprise, connected dissent, connected governmental authorities and dream — and now, rather literally, connected light."

Rodríguez accused nan U.S. delegation of offering "worn-out lies" and attempting to forestall nan General Assembly from debating nan effects of American policy.

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U.S. Representative for U.N. Ambassador Jeff Bartos addresses a gathering of nan United Nations Security Council connected nan business successful Libya, astatine nan U.N. office successful New York City, U.S., November 25, 2025. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

Cuba’s electricity crisis has been driven by severe substance shortages and an aging, poorly maintained powerfulness strategy that has struggled to meet demand. The Cuban authorities chiefly blames U.S. restrictions, while Washington attributes nan island’s broader economical situation to communist economical policies, corruption and repression.

Reuters contributed to this report.