Cuba and the United States are facing renewed diplomatic tensions after Washington ordered the expulsion of a Cuban diplomat following a heated confrontation during a United Nations General Assembly session.

The United States announced the expulsion of Richard Tur de la Concepción, the first secretary of Cuba’s UN mission, on October 28. US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz accused the diplomat of physically confronting a member of the American delegation during an argument on the assembly floor. The allegations have not been adjudicated by a court.

The incident occurred on October 27, when Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla and US Ambassador Waltz clashed during a debate concerning Washington’s longstanding economic embargo against Cuba. The exchange escalated as members of the Cuban delegation objected to Waltz’s remarks, prompting the assembly’s presiding officer to intervene and temporarily suspend proceedings.

Following the announcement, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel publicly defended his country’s representatives, praising their response to what he described as disrespect and pressure from Washington. The Cuban government has criticised the US conduct during the confrontation, while American officials have defended the decision to expel the diplomat.

The dispute adds another point of friction to already strained US Cuba relations, which have been affected by sanctions, restrictions on energy supplies and disagreements over Cuba’s political system.

The diplomatic fallout could complicate efforts to maintain dialogue between the two governments, although the latest incident does not, by itself, establish whether broader diplomatic relations or formal negotiations will change.