“Cubans who ask questions in Havana face consequences unlike those who do so in a room of ambassadors and cameras at the UN.” — Mike Waltz. Our verdict: Unverified.
Mike Waltz made the claim at the United Nations during a public confrontation with the Cuban delegation, as reported by ABC News.
Our verdict
Unverified
We could not find enough public evidence to confirm or refute Mike Waltz's claim that Cubans who ask questions in Havana face consequences unlike those who do so at the UN. The evidence shows that dissent in Cuba is punished, but it does not directly compare what happens to people who ask questions in the two settings.
Know something that settles it? Send us evidenceWhat we found
The claim rests on a contrast between two situations. On the first, the evidence is clear: the US State Department's 2024 human rights report on Cuba documents arbitrary arrest and detention, restrictions on freedom of expression, and censorship, indicating that Cubans who ask questions or express dissent can face consequences. On the second, the evidence is much weaker. A joint statement at the United Nations in October 2025 acknowledges that reprisals against people who cooperate with the UN do happen, and the UN human rights office has reported patterns of state reprisals against those who engage with UN human rights work. But neither source addresses what happens to people who ask questions in a UN setting, and neither offers a direct comparison with Havana. A news report confirms that Mike Waltz made the statement during a shouting match with the Cuban delegation at the UN, but it does not independently verify the factual basis of his comparison. Because the central contrast is not supported by direct evidence, we rate the claim unverifiable.
The evidence
4 of 6 sources support the claim; none contradict it.
- Background
The ABC News report confirms that Mike Waltz made a statement at the UN contrasting the consequences of asking questions in Havana with those of doing so in a room of ambassadors and cameras at the UN. [1]
- Supports the claim
The US State Department's 2024 human rights report on Cuba documents arbitrary arrest and detention, restrictions on freedom of expression, and censorship, indicating that Cubans who express dissent or ask questions may face consequences. [2]
- Supports the claim
A second State Department report details severe restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly, and association in Cuba, including criminal libel laws used against government critics, supporting the view that Cubans who ask questions or dissent face consequences. [3]
- Supports the claim
A joint statement at the United Nations in October 2025 acknowledges that reprisals against individuals who cooperate with the UN occur, and that member states have a responsibility to prevent them. [4]
- Supports the claim
The UN human rights office reports documented patterns of state reprisals against individuals for engaging with UN human rights mechanisms. [5]
- Background
A Newsweek video shows Mike Waltz in a public confrontation with a Cuban diplomat at the UN. [6]
What we could not confirm
- Whether people who ask questions in a UN setting face consequences, and how those consequences compare with those faced by people asking questions in Havana.
- The frequency, severity, or nature of consequences for questioners in either setting, as no source directly compares the two.
How we checked
We looked at news reports of the statement, US State Department human rights reports on Cuba, and United Nations documents on reprisals against people who cooperate with the UN. We could not find public evidence that directly compares the consequences of asking questions in Havana with those of asking questions at the UN. If you have evidence that bears on this comparison, please send it to us. We reviewed 6 relevant sources.
Sources
- [1]abcnews.com · 'This is America!' Mike Waltz says as he and Cuban delegation get into shouting match at UN
- [2]United States Department of State · 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Cuba · January 1, 2024
- [3]United States Department of State · Cuba - United States Department of State · January 1, 2024
- [4]estatements.un.org · Joint Statement on Reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations (2025) · October 3, 2025
- [5]ohchr.org · Reprisals by States against people who assist UN human rights work are deeply concerning · September 27, 2024
- [6]facebook.com · Mike Waltz Clashes With Cuban Diplomat During UN Speech | Newsweek
- [7]Photo: United States Congress / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Help us check this claim
We could not find enough public evidence to confirm or refute this claim. If you know of an official record, dataset, transcript or report that settles it, send us the link. We review every submission and update this fact check when the evidence changes the picture.
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