The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba (MINREX) condemned “in the strongest terms” the decision by the Government of Ecuador to expel all personnel from the Cuban Embassy in Quito, describing it as “arbitrary and unjustified.”
According to the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the measure declared as persona non grata —“without providing any justification”— all diplomatic, consular, and administrative personnel, giving them a period of 48 hours to leave the country.
In its statement, the regime in Havana asserted that this is a “hostile and unprecedented act” that significantly harms the “historic relations of friendship and cooperation” between both countries and peoples, and that it also demonstrates the “contempt” of the current Ecuadorian government for the diplomatic practices and courtesies observed by the international community.
The MINREX stated "categorically" that the staff of its embassy in Quito has strictly adhered to the laws and regulations of Ecuador and has not intervened in internal matters, "as established by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961."
Havana links the expulsion to pressures from the U.S.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry added that the Ecuadorian decision occurs in a context of "increased aggression" from the United States against Cuba and "intense pressure" from Washington on third countries to join this policy, just days before a summit scheduled in Miami on March 7 with a "small group" of representatives from regional governments.
In its statement, the regime expressed confidence that the Ecuadorian people would know how to defend the ties of solidarity and brotherhood with the island.
The Ecuadorian Government's decision to expel all Cuban diplomatic personnel in Quito marks one of the most tense episodes in the bilateral relations between Quito and Havana in recent years.
The measure was announced by Ecuadorian authorities after declaring the Cuban embassy officials as persona non grata.
The diplomatic crisis worsened when the Ecuadorian president, Daniel Noboa, publicly reported that documents were being destroyed within the Cuban diplomatic mission following the announcement of the expulsion order.
In this context, local media reported the presence of Ecuadorian military in the vicinity of the Cuban embassy in Quito, amidst a climate of rising political tension.
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