U.S. seeks to expel Cuban diplomat after UN vote

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz announced on Wednesday that the United States will expel a Cuban diplomat from its territory. Waltz stated that Richard Tur de la Concepción, a first secretary at Cuba's UN mission, will be flown back to Havana later that day. The decision followed accusations that the diplomat assaulted an American counterpart during a physical altercation on the floor of the General Assembly on Tuesday.

The dispute occurred shortly after the UN General Assembly voted on a resolution regarding the U.S. economic embargo on Cuba. The vote resulted in 130 nations supporting the measure, 25 abstaining, and 17 voting against. The United States and Israel were among the 17 nations that voted against the resolution. This tally marked a shift from last year's vote, which saw 165 nations in favor, 12 abstentions, and seven against.

Several Western countries, including Germany and Italy, abstained from the vote for the first time in many years. South Korea also shifted its position to support the resolution. Waltz told reporters that he was satisfied with the change in stance by major economies. He noted that the number of countries shifting their position has tripled and expects that trend to continue. He added that diplomacy takes time.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla responded to the vote on X, calling the U.S. government isolated in its attempt to strangle the Cuban people. He described the sanctions as an act of collective punishment and stated that media pressure would not prevail over the facts. Cuba has blamed U.S. sanctions for its current economic crisis, which includes shortages of basic goods, collapsing infrastructure, and runaway inflation.

The U.S. has maintained the trade embargo on Cuba for more than 60 years. President Donald Trump's administration has increased pressure on the island, a move that followed the U.S. military removal of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in January. Trump told the UN last month that Cuba is a failed state and that freedom would come to the island.

Cuba's electrical grid suffered a total collapse last month, leaving millions without power. The UN General Assembly has adopted the resolution calling for an end to the embargo annually for more than three decades, except for 2020 during the pandemic. The vote carries political weight, but only the U.S. Congress holds the authority to lift the embargo.

Tensions between the two nations escalated ahead of the vote. Diplomats from both countries engaged in shouting matches at the UN last week. The physical exchange on Tuesday included yelling and shoving on the assembly floor. Cuba's UN mission did not immediately respond to questions regarding the expulsion of its diplomat.