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The Cuban regime accused the government of Costa Rica on Wednesday of acting under pressure from the United States following the decision to close its embassy in Havana and limit bilateral relations to the consular level.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, the measure was communicated through a diplomatic note and described as unilateral, arbitrary, and unjustified by the Costa Rican authorities.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry stated that the decision is a response to external pressures and not to the interests of the Costa Rican people, while also criticizing what it sees as a history of alignment by San José with Washington's policy towards the island.
The Cuban government also rejected the request to reduce diplomatic staff at its embassy in Costa Rica, a measure that, according to Havana, is based on an alleged reciprocity that it deemed unfounded.
According to the statement, starting April 1, relations between the two countries will be maintained solely at the consular level, which represents a significant reduction in diplomatic ties.
Havana interpreted this move as part of a broader strategy driven by the United States to isolate the country in the region, amidst a context of increasing political and economic pressure on the regime.
Despite this, the Cuban regime assured that this decision will not affect the historical ties between both peoples and argued that the relationships between Cuba and Costa Rica will remain at the human and cultural level.
For its part, the Government of Costa Rica announced this Wednesday the closure of its embassy in Havana and requested the Cuban regime to withdraw its diplomatic personnel from San José, in a decision that represents a strong political stance regarding the situation on the island.
President Rodrigo Chaves and Chancellor Arnoldo André confirmed the measure, which they explained is a response to the ongoing deterioration of human rights in Cuba, exacerbated in recent months by repression, blackouts, and widespread shortages.
"The measure responds to the country's deep concern over the ongoing deterioration of the human rights situation on the island," stated André, who also denounced an increase in the persecution of activists, opponents, and citizens critical of the government.
This diplomatic setback for the Cuban regime adds to another one that occurred at the beginning of the month, when the Government of Ecuador declared the Cuban ambassador in Quito and all diplomatic, consular, and administrative staff of the mission as persona non grata, giving them a 48-hour deadline to leave the country.
The decision was officially communicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador in a diplomatic note dated March 4 and addressed to the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in that country.
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