Quote:U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz refused to back down Tuesday when Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla charged the podium during a speech criticizing the communist regime’s real estate holdings.

A video clip shows the minister closing in on Waltz and accusing him of lying. Waltz immediately ordered the Cuban official to “Back away from the podium.”

The confrontation quickly escalated into a shouting match on the floor of the General Assembly hall, with Waltz declaring that the minister would not intimidate him in America the way the communist regime tries to intimidate its political prisoners.

"And I'm the representative of the United States of America," an infuriated Waltz shouted. "Back up!"

"Back away. This isn't Havana. You're not going to intimidate me," he added. "Do you understand who you're dealing with?"

You have to hand it to the Ambassador. Waltz’s refusal to yield showed the kind of backbone rarely seen from American diplomats at the United Nations. He made it clear that the strong-arm tactics aren't welcome in the United States.

It's not the administration's job to offer any delegation quiet accommodation as they run roughshod over decorum while a U.S. official is giving a speech.

From there, things escalated.

While Waltz and the communist regime official traded barbs, a member of the Cuban delegation tried to grab the phone of Waltz’s spokesman, J.P. Freire, as he recorded the exchange — an incident the New York Post described as an "assault."

Waltz just now posted the video of the incident to social media.

"One of the Cuban regime’s 'diplomats' tried to intimidate UN staff into cutting our microphones as I exposed the regime for the world to see," he said. "When one of my staffers noticed what was happening, that same regime 'diplomat' tried to intimidate him, too."

UN officials moved in to restore order as Waltz held his ground and made clear he would not be shouted down.

Prior to the fireworks, Waltz was lambasting the Cuban regime’s narrative of being a victim of a U.S. “blockade,” arguing that Havana’s economic problems are self-inflicted.

He detailed the communist leadership’s luxury real estate holdings, private jets, Rolex watches, and other privileges while ordinary Cubans face blackouts, shortages, and repression.

Note to Florida Democrat Senate candidate Angie Nixon — Dictatorships really don't like it when you call out their dictatorial ways.

Waltz also highlighted the military conglomerate GAESA’s reported billions in assets and displayed images contrasting the elite’s lifestyle with the suffering of the Cuban people. That's when Parrilla snapped.

Quote:Mike Waltz reveals on 'Hannity' that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signed paperwork to expel a Cuban diplomat accused of shoving and attempting to assault an American diplomat.

"He's gone. He is going to be on a plane to Havana within the next 24 hours," Waltz says.

The announcement follows a heated confrontation between U.S. and Cuban officials at the United Nations. |
@seanhannity