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The permanent representative of Cuba to the United Nations, Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, referred to the U.S. ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, as "Pinocchio" and accused him of "never getting tired of lying," in a new chapter of the diplomatic confrontation between the two countries following the debate on Cuba held this week at the United Nations.
In a message posted on Saturday on the social network X, Soberón responded to the criticisms made by Waltz against the Cuban regime and assured that the American diplomat "conveniently omits" that "the vast majority of the Cuban people took to the streets on May 1" to reaffirm "their determination to defend the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Cuba."
“@USAmbUN —a.k.a. Pinocchio— never tires of lying,” wrote the Cuban ambassador.
The official also accused Washington of tightening the embargo through what he described as an "energy embargo" that, he claimed, "inflicts unspeakable suffering on the Cuban people."
He also stated that the U.S. government restricts the freedoms of its own citizens by preventing them from traveling freely to Cuba and trading with private entrepreneurs on the island.
Response to Waltz's criticisms
The publication coincided with the fifth anniversary of the protests on July 11, 2021, and occurred just a few days after the intense exchange between both delegations during the extraordinary session of the UN General Assembly on Cuba.
In that debate, Mike Waltz accused the regime of being "illegitimate and brutal," showed photographs of Cuban political prisoners, and held the Government accountable for the crisis that the island is experiencing.
The U.S. ambassador also rejected the existence of an energy embargo and stated that the shortage of food, medicine, and fuel is due to "decades of mismanagement and political repression."
During his speech, Chancellor Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla tried to interrupt him several times with points of order that were dismissed by the session's presidency. At the end of the exchange, he labeled Waltz as a "liar," to which the American diplomat responded with a phrase that became one of the most discussed moments of the debate:
"This is not Havana. This is the United States of America, the UN, and we are not going to be silent."
The march on May 1st, at the center of the dispute
One of the main arguments put forward by Soberón was the official mobilization of May 1st, which he presented as evidence of popular support for the Cuban government.
However, independent observers, activists, and analysts questioned that interpretation. Various reports indicated a lower turnout than in previous years and denounced the use of state mobilization mechanisms to ensure participation. Cuban academic Hilda Landrove went as far as to describe the demonstration as “the staging of a corpse”.
The exchange of accusations occurs against a backdrop of increasing international pressure on Havana. The extraordinary session of the General Assembly on July 7 concluded with the approval of a resolution in favor of Cuba, with 136 votes in favor, nine against, and 30 abstentions, the highest number of abstentions recorded in this type of voting in over three decades.
Meanwhile, the internal crisis continues to worsen. This Sunday, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz once again attributed the American embargo to the prolonged blackouts affecting the country, as many areas are experiencing power outages of up to 25 consecutive hours.
According to the Cuban Conflict Observatory, in May 2026, there were 1,311 protests reported across the island, the highest monthly figure documented by that organization, reflecting the growing social discontent that contrasts with the image of popular support promoted by the Cuban government on the international stage.
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