US and Cuban officials engage in a shouting match during a UN debate over the economic embargo

US and Cuban officials engage in a shouting match during a UN debate over the economic embargo Washington and Havana – The United Nations General Assembly descended into a rare and noisy confrontation on Tuesday when senior officials from the United States and Cuba exchanged a series of heated accusations over the long‑standing U.S. The incident, captured on live broadcast and later uploaded to the UN’s official channel, has sparked a flurry of commentary from diplomats, human‑rights groups and analysts who warn that the public spat could further polarise an already fragile relationship. While the exchange lasted barely a few minutes, the intensity of the shouting match eclipsed the scheduled agenda, prompting the Assembly’s President to call for order before the debate could resume..

Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas opened the exchange, stating that “the Cuban regime continues to use the embargo as a scapegoat for its own economic mismanagement and human‑rights abuses.” She cited recent reports from the U.S. State Department alleging that the Cuban government has tightened restrictions on internet access, increased surveillance of dissenters and failed to implement promised reforms. Thomas urged member states to “recognise that the embargo is a targeted tool, not a blanket punishment, and that its removal must be contingent on genuine political change in Havana.” Her remarks were met with immediate, vociferous rebuttals from the Cuban delegation..

Cuban Permanent Representative to the UN, Carlos Mendoza, responded with equal fervour, shouting that “the United States has held an illegal, punitive blockade on our island for six decades, causing untold suffering to our people.” He warned that the embargo has “deprived millions of Cubans of basic medicines, foodstuffs and the technology needed to develop a modern economy.” Mendoza demanded that “the UN uphold its charter of non‑intervention and call for an immediate end to this colonial‑style aggression.” The tone of his address, unusually elevated for diplomatic discourse, set the stage for the ensuing clash. The two officials began to speak over one another, each raising their voices as interpreters struggled to keep pace. Thomas accused the Cuban government of “using the embargo as a political cudgel to deflect criticism of its own authoritarian practices,” while Mendoza countered that “the United States is the true aggressor, imposing a collective punishment that violates international law.” The heated exchange caused a noticeable stir among the assembly hall’s 193 delegations, many of whom turned their attention to the front rows as the volume rose..

UN officials attempted to intervene, with the Assembly President, Ms Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia, stepping onto the podium to restore decorum. “Ladies and gentlemen, I must remind you that the United Nations is a forum for dialogue, not a stage for shouting,” she said, her voice calm but firm. However, the appeal fell on deaf ears as both sides continued to shout, each insisting that the other was “distorting facts” and “ignoring the suffering of ordinary citizens.” The brief interruption lasted roughly three minutes before the President signalled that the floor would be returned to the scheduled speakers..

Observers noted that the outburst coincided with the release of a new report by the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which highlighted “systemic violations of freedom of expression and assembly” in Cuba. The timing, they argued, suggested that both delegations were keen to frame the narrative before the report’s findings were formally debated..

Human‑rights NGOs, including Amnesty International, issued a statement after the session, condemning the “spectacle of shouting” and urging both governments to engage in “constructive, evidence‑based dialogue” rather than grandstanding. The United States, for its part, has signalled a possible shift in policy under the new administration, which has hinted at easing certain sanctions in exchange for concrete reforms. A senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that “the embargo is not immutable, but any relaxation must be tied to verifiable improvements in political openness, judicial independence and the release of political prisoners.” The official added that the recent shouting match underscored “the urgency of moving beyond rhetoric and toward measurable steps.” Cuba, meanwhile, has long maintained that the embargo is a tool of economic warfare designed to destabilise the island’s socialist model..

In a press conference held later that day, Deputy Foreign Minister Elena Rodríguez said that “the Cuban people have endured the blockade for 62 years, and no amount of diplomatic theatrics can change that reality.” She called for an “immediate, unconditional lifting of the embargo” and warned that “any continued pressure will only deepen the resolve of the Cuban people to defend their sovereignty.” Rodríguez’s remarks were met with applause from a small bloc of allied nations, including Russia and Venezuela. The incident also raised questions about the role of the United Nations in mediating long‑standing bilateral disputes. Some scholars argue that the UN’s platform amplifies such confrontations, turning what would otherwise be private diplomatic negotiations into public theater..

Professor Luis García, a specialist in Latin American international relations at the University of London, told the BBC that “the UN General Assembly is often the only venue where contentious issues like the Cuban embargo get a global audience, and that visibility can both pressure and provoke the parties involved.” He warned that “if the shouting match becomes a pattern, the Assembly risks losing its credibility as a space for constructive debate.” In the wake of the altercation, several member states called for a formal resolution to address the conduct of delegations during debates. A draft resolution, introduced by the European Union.