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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba (Minrex) publicly thanked on Thursday for some expressions of support received from Ecuador, following the decision of the government of that country to expel all diplomatic personnel from the island and effectively close its embassy in Quito.
Through its account on Facebook, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed gratitude for “the displays of support and solidarity from the people of Ecuador,” after the Ecuadorian government ordered the departure of all diplomatic, consular, and administrative staff from the Cuban embassy.
The publication was accompanied by an image featuring statements from four Ecuadorian organizations that criticized the measure taken by Quito and expressed support for Havana: the International Medical Society SMI-ELAM, the Ecuadorian Coordinating Committee of Friendship and Solidarity with Cuba, the political movement Citizens' Revolution, and the Ecuadorian Communist Party.
In its message, the Cuban Foreign Ministry asserted that the expulsion of its diplomatic representation demonstrates "the current government's contempt for the diplomatic practices and courtesies observed by the international community."
Additionally, he stated that in a "tumultuous" international context, the island will maintain its stance of promoting Latin American unity in the face of what he described as policies aligning with "imperial interests."
The Ecuadorian organizations included in the publication condemned the decision of the government of President Daniel Noboa and highlighted the historical cooperation between both countries, especially in the areas of health and social programs.
Some of the statements attributed the measure to pressure from the United States and accused the Ecuadorian administration of acting in line with foreign interests.
This Friday, the Minrex announced that, due to the inability to maintain a diplomatic representation in Ecuador, it has decided to immediately withdraw all symbols and attributes of its embassy in Quito.
According to the official statement, as of 10:00 a.m. on March 6, the premises housing the diplomatic mission ceased to function as the official headquarters.
For his part, the Cuban leader, Miguel Díaz-Canel, also responded to the Ecuadorian decision through messages on the X social media platform.
The leader described the expulsion of diplomats as an “unjustified, hostile, and unfriendly” action that, in his opinion, harms the historical cooperative relations between both peoples.
Díaz-Canel also maintained that the measure is a response to external pressures and accused the Ecuadorian government of acting with "clear submission to imperial interests."
He assured that, despite the diplomatic conflict, the Ecuadorian people "will always count on the love and support of Cuba."
The expulsion of Cuban diplomats marks a new episode of tension between Havana and some governments in the region, amid rising international scrutiny of the presence of official Cuban missions abroad.
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