Cuban delegation leaves during Bush’s U.N. speech

Cuban diplomats walked out in the middle of U.S. president George W. Bush’s speech at the U.N. General Assembly earlier today. During the discourse, Bush denounced Cuba’s government and proclaimed that the “long rule of a cruel dictator is nearing its end”.

Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque justified having left the General Assembly hall while Bush was speaking:

“(Leaving the session) was a "sign of profound rejection of the arrogant and mediocre statement by President Bush."

As we mentioned last Thursday, Cuban and U.S. diplomats have increased the rhetoric over the 45-year-old U.S. embargo on the island; Perez Roque claimed that Cuba has lost $89 billion in lost trade due to the blockade while U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez called the embargo a “resounding success”.

Image- Guardian UK (Cuban media released a photo over the weekend of Fidel Castro meeting on Saturday with Angola’s president)

Sources (English)- The Latin Americanist, Guardian UK, AFP

Source (Spanish)- El Diario/La Prensa