Rood Torches Cuban Ambassador: 'How Many Political Prisoners?' – Liberals & Bloc Fume!

Clip from Meeting No. 23 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), held on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, in West Block Room 125-B (Parliament Hill, Ottawa). The meeting focused on the Humanitarian Crisis in Cuba. In the second half of the session, Cuba's Ambassador to Canada, Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz (often referred to as Rodrigo Diaz), appeared as a witness and addressed the committee on Cuba's economic challenges, U.S. pressures (including oil restrictions), and appeals for Canadian humanitarian aid. Conservative MP Lianne Rood (CPC) directly challenged the ambassador on Cuba's human rights record, pressing him on the number of political prisoners (citing reports from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International), political dissent, and other abuses. This exchange reportedly frustrated or angered members of the Bloc Québécois and Liberal MPs present. The ambassador remained composed while defending his government's position and highlighting external factors affecting Cuba.Source: Official proceedings available via ParlVU (the Parliament of Canada's webcast and video archive service at parlvu.parl.gc.ca or through the committees page at ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/FAAE), where meetings are publicly webcast live and archived for viewing/transcripts.Fair Use and Transformation Statement: This description and any associated clip/screenshot are used for news reporting, commentary, criticism, and educational purposes under fair use/fair dealing principles (Canadian Copyright Act, s. 29; U.S. fair use doctrine 17 U.S.C. § 107). The content is from publicly accessible parliamentary proceedings intended for open democratic scrutiny. Use here is transformative: it provides context, analysis, and public discussion of a political event (including human rights concerns raised in committee), rather than merely reproducing the original for entertainment or commercial substitution. Only a limited portion is referenced/used, and it does not harm the market for official parliamentary records. Credit is given to the source (Parliament of Canada/ParlVU) to support transparency and attribution. No copyright infringement is intended; viewers are encouraged to access the full official recording directly via ParlVU for complete context.