The Colombian journalist Juan Esteban Silva, correspondent for Caracol Radio in Washington and specializing in White House coverage, publicly denounced the insults led by supporters of the Cuban regime at the United Nations headquarters in New York during the human rights meeting organized by the United States.
Silva, who witnessed the incident that occurred on Monday, October 19, shared on his X account a 29-second video that shows the confrontation from a front-facing perspective, while several participants cross the area and supporters of the Cuban regime shout insults at them.
One of the most striking scenes shows a man in a suit raising his middle finger, a gesture considered offensive in Cuba and other countries. Several bystanders are also seen recording the incident with their mobile phones.
"This is unacceptable!" wrote the correspondent at the beginning of his publication, in which he recounted how the meeting convened by the U.S. ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, came to an end.
"Yesterday we met with Ambassador Mike Waltz in New York. His team called us to a hearing to denounce the abuses of the Cuban regime," the journalist explained.
However, what was supposed to be a day dedicated to exposing reports on the human rights situation in Cuba ended up marked by shouts and confrontations led by individuals aligned with the Havana government.
"Outside, supporters of the regime responded with insults and slurs against the ambassador and the United States delegation to the UN," Silva reported.
"I had the opportunity to be there and witness what happened. Intimidation will not silence the truth," he stated.
Cuban diplomats were involved in an altercation with opponents at the UN
The incident occurred during the celebration of “Cuba Libre: The Oppression That Havana Hides”, an event organized by the Permanent Mission of the United States to the United Nations to address political repression, the situation of political prisoners, medical missions, and corruption in Cuba.
Among the participants were the opponents José Daniel Ferrer, founder of the Unión Patriótica de Cuba (UNPACU), and artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, both recently released from prison and currently outside the island. Researchers, activists, and American political representatives also participated.
During the act of repudiation led by members of the Cuban delegation, attendees were shouted at with accusations of "terrorists" and "get out of the UN."
Ferrer immediately reported what happened on his social media.
"The Cuban communists just staged a repudiation act against us at the UN," wrote the opposition member, who also shared images of the incident.
The Cuban delegation had questioned the meeting
The confrontation was preceded by protests from the Cuban representatives against the activity organized by Washington.
Days earlier, ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán had questioned the legitimacy of the event and claimed that it violated United Nations regulations.
The diplomat stated that the United States intended to use the international organization to promote a political campaign against Cuba.
Waltz rejected those criticisms and defended the right of Cuban opponents and political prisoners to share their experiences.
"If it bothers you that we give a voice to Cubans to talk about all this, how about you stop doing those things? Then we will stop talking about them," responded the American ambassador to Soberón's inquiries.
Tension arises just a few days before the annual vote at the United Nations General Assembly on the resolution presented by Cuba demanding an end to the U.S. embargo, scheduled for October 27 and 28.
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