US Expels Cuban Diplomat Following Confrontation at United Nations

A Cuban diplomat, Richard Tur de la Concepción, has been expelled from the United States following a volatile confrontation at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The incident occurred during a debate regarding the long-standing U.S. economic embargo against Cuba, which escalated when U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz criticized the Cuban government for alleged political repression, corruption, and the imprisonment of over 800 political dissidents, including religious figures.

In response to the remarks, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla and other delegation members protested by shouting and banging on desks. The situation intensified as the Cuban delegation approached the assembly leadership, prompting presiding official Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh to temporarily suspend the proceedings. Video footage reportedly shows Tur de la Concepción, a first secretary at the Cuban mission, attempting to swat a phone held by a U.S. official who was recording the altercation. Following the dispute, the U.S. government ordered the diplomat to leave the country, while Cuban officials characterized the American ambassador's statements as insults and falsehoods.