File photo: Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, who Waltz says signed the expulsion papers (Photo: Freddie Everett, US Department of State, public domain via Wikimedia Commons).

Cuba-US Tensions

Published Thursday, October 29, 7:55 p.m. ET (7:55 p.m. Havana) · Source: US State Department, US Mission to the UN, UN General Assembly proceedings

The Cuban diplomat at the centre of a phone-grabbing row at the United Nations has now left the United States. The US State Department, Washington’s foreign ministry, confirmed on Thursday, October 29, that Richard Tur de la Concepción, a first secretary at Cuba’s UN mission, is gone.

Washington says it told Havana he was not welcome after Tuesday’s clash at the General Assembly. We first reported the expulsion on Wednesday, and this is the new step in our Cuba news coverage: a name and a confirmed departure.

The Expulsion Is Now Confirmed

A State Department spokesperson said Washington had made clear to the Cuban mission that Tur was not welcome in the United States and that, as a result, he had left the country. The department did not say when or how he travelled.

Waltz had said earlier in the week that the diplomat would be “on a plane to Havana within the next 24 hours.” Thursday’s statement is the first official confirmation that he has gone.

What Happened in the Assembly Hall

The scene unfolded on Tuesday, October 27, during the 193-nation UN General Assembly’s yearly debate on a resolution calling for an end to the US embargo on Cuba. Cuba’s Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, and Waltz traded shouted accusations.

J. P. Freire, a spokesperson for the US mission, was filming the scene on his phone. Washington says Tur tried to seize the phone.

During the exchange, Cuba’s Foreign Minister called Waltz a liar. Waltz says Tur pushed at the phone and tried to assault an American official.

Why a Junior Diplomat Matters

A first secretary is a working-level diplomat, not a senior envoy. Expelling one within days sends a signal about how Washington will treat Cuban staff at the UN.

What It Means for US Readers

For Americans, the episode shows how personal the Cuba file has become at the UN. It also shows that Washington is willing to escalate small incidents into formal diplomatic action.

Watch for a Cuban reply, such as a reciprocal expulsion, the usual answer to a move like this. The embargo vote itself changes no US rule on travel, trade or remittances.

What Is Not Known

The exact time of the scuffle has not been published, and we could not find Cuba’s own official account of the incident. No independent reconstruction exists of what happened between Tur and Freire.

The United Nations has not issued a finding on who was at fault. We found no details on Tur’s flight or on any police complaint or legal step.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the United States expel Richard Tur?

Washington says he tried to grab a US spokesperson’s phone at the UN on October 27. The details of what happened are disputed.

Has the Cuban diplomat left the United States?

Yes. The State Department said on October 29 that he has left the country. It gave no departure time.

Sources: US Department of State; US Mission to the United Nations; UN General Assembly proceedings. Earlier: our first report on the expulsion; background in Cuba-US tensions explained.

Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error