The permanent representative of Cuba to the United Nations, Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, released a mocking video about the opponent José Daniel Ferrer and the American ambassador Mike Waltz, following an altercation involving Cuban diplomats against activists who denounced repression on the island during a meeting held at the UN headquarters in New York.
The recording, shared on their X account, features images of Waltz and Ferrer accompanied by pink hearts, music, and a message that playfully suggests a romantic relationship between the two.
"Love blooms between Mike Waltz and José Daniel Ferrer," is written over the images.
Soberón accompanied the video with a comment in English: "A picture is worth a thousand words, and if it's accompanied by music, even better."
The publication concludes with the official slogan "Cuba is not a threat, the blockade is," which is commonly used by the Cuban government in its campaigns against U.S. sanctions.
The content drew attention as it came from a diplomat who officially represents Cuba at the United Nations, and it emerged following a day characterized by insults and protests from Cuban officials against opponents and former political prisoners.
"The only ones who ended up looking truly ridiculous are you."
The post sparked criticism from X users who questioned both the video's content and the behavior of the Cuban representative.
"The method left for the henchmen of the dictatorship is discredit," wrote a netizen.
Another user responded by referencing the concept of love mentioned in the recording: "With that same love, they are opening his eyes to the world and rubbing the truth in his face."
One account criticized the behavior of the Cuban representatives at the United Nations: "The only ones who came across as truly ridiculous and lacking in protocol ethics," it wrote, before suggesting that they should withdraw.
For her part, a user resorted to a play on words to criticize the ambassador: "You are the representative of the diplochusma." The same account referred to Cuban officials as "diplomats" who are less prepared and questioned their behavior.
"This post represents the Havana mafia," stated a user.
Responses also emerged questioning a possible homophobic connotation in the romantic suggestion of the video, as well as ironic messages that followed the ambassador's joke.
Homophobic gesture denounced during the act of repudiation
The controversy arises after Cuban journalist José Raúl Gallego reported another incident that occurred during the protest by the Cuban delegation at the UN.
In a post on Facebook, Gallego drew attention to a segment of a video shared by José Daniel Ferrer and urged observers to pay attention to what happens around the 37-second mark.
According to his description, a man dressed in a black jacket, whom he attributed to the Cuban delegation, moves his hands mimicking the flapping of a bird while shouts against the opposition can be heard. The man's identity has not been confirmed.
The journalist interpreted the gesture as a homophobic mockery. In Cuba, the term "pájaro" has been historically used in a derogatory manner to refer to homosexual men.
"This is Cuban diplomacy: homophobic, racist, classist, coarse, intolerant, repressive," wrote Gallego.
The journalist also noted that Ernesto Soberón appears in the recording, dressed in a white guayabera.
Gallego linked the incident to the history of persecution against homosexuals in Cuba, particularly the Military Units to Aid Production (UMAP), and criticized what he sees as contradictions between those historical practices and the current rhetoric of the Cuban government regarding LGBT rights.
A diplomatic confrontation that made its way to social media
The confrontation that preceded the release of the video took place on Monday, October 19, during the event "Cuba Libre: The oppression that Havana hides", organized by the Permanent Mission of the United States to the United Nations.
The event, led by Mike Waltz, brought together political prisoners, activists, and experts who denounced human rights violations, the state of prisons, and other repressive practices of the Cuban government.
Among the participants were José Daniel Ferrer, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, María Werlau, Emilio Morales, and Republican Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis.
Representatives of the Cuban delegation held a protest against the participants of the meeting. According to Ferrer, the officials shouted "terrorists" and "get out of the UN" at those taking part in the activity.
On his part, Soberón had questioned the holding of the meeting and presented it as a political maneuver by Washington to discredit the Cuban government and influence the upcoming General Assembly vote on the U.S. embargo.
The incident occurs amidst a growing diplomatic confrontation between both governments, just days before the United Nations is set to speak again on the resolution calling for an end to the embargo, with the vote scheduled for October 27 and 28.
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