During a debate on Puerto Rico's colonial status at the United Nations Decolonization Committee, the Cuban representative's attempt to silence a petitioner was met with a firm response: "You can't do that here."
The incident occurred last Thursday and was shared on the X account of the silenced petitioner, Mario Solano, who is identified as the Extended Congressional Delegate for Puerto Rico.
It was Yusnier Romero Puentes, the Alternate Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations, who requested the floor to ask the Assembly's directive to silence Solano after his denouncement of communism.
"I've requested the floor to ask you to call the petitioner to order. We are discussing Puerto Rico's resolution in the Decolonization Committee, and we are not referring to any political or ideological model in this type of discussion. So, I ask you to call him to order and, if he does not comply, to withdraw his speaking rights," were Romero Puentes' words to the directive, led by Santa Lucia's representative, Menissa Rambaly.
The video shared showed the disbelief of many representatives at the Cuban delegate's demands, especially since Cuba was one of the countries that presented this resolution, along with Bolivia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Syria, and Russia.
Solano responded to the Cuban representative, stating that he did not need to be told what he could say in favor of Puerto Rico.
"In favor of Puerto Rico, I can say whatever I want because I am in a nation where speech is completely free," he affirmed.
He continued, specifically referring to Cuba: "In those countries where they don't let their people speak and repress them, well, you can't do that here," he concluded.
Although this was considered the only incident during the session, the resolution presented was approved by consensus for the 42nd time, reaffirming Puerto Rico's inalienable right to self-determination and independence.
The resolution recognizes Puerto Rico as a "Latin American and Caribbean nation" and notes the repression against the independence movement. Support for the resolution came from groups allied with Cuba, such as the Group of Friends of the UN Charter, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Understanding the Incident at the UN Decolonization Committee
This section provides answers to commonly asked questions regarding the recent incident at the United Nations involving the Cuban and Puerto Rican representatives.
What sparked the incident between the Cuban and Puerto Rican representatives?
The incident was sparked when Mario Solano, a petitioner for Puerto Rico, denounced communism during a debate on Puerto Rico's colonial status, prompting Cuban representative Yusnier Romero Puentes to request that the Assembly silence him.
Who was leading the directive at the UN Decolonization Committee session?
The directive was led by Menissa Rambaly, the representative of Santa Lucia.
What was the outcome of the session?
Despite the incident, the resolution on Puerto Rico was approved by consensus for the 42nd time, reaffirming the territory's right to self-determination and independence.