Dominican diplomatic sources claim that alleged intelligence activities carried out by Cuban officials were behind the decision of Luis Abinader's government to request the departure of nine members of the Cuban mission in Santo Domingo.
The new information, revealed this Friday by the Dominican newspaper El Día, offers for the first time a possible explanation for a measure whose reasons had not been publicly detailed by the Dominican Foreign Ministry.
High-level sources with direct knowledge of the case indicated that Dominican authorities detected that some Cuban officials were engaging in activities related to the intelligence and security services of the Havana regime, taking advantage of their diplomatic credentials.
These activities are incompatible with the functions inherent to a diplomatic mission and would be the reason that prompted the Dominican Government to formally request the departure of the individuals involved.
The sources also made a clarification regarding the procedure used: they stated that the officials were not declared persona non grata, but rather that Santo Domingo requested their withdrawal through diplomatic channels.
The information introduces a nuance regarding the initial versions of the case and the initial interpretation of the measure under Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Sources also ruled out any connection between the departure of the officials and the four Cuban athletes who stayed in the Dominican Republic after the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026.
"It is merely a simple chronological coincidence. The decision regarding the diplomats follows a different process that is not related to the athletes who remained in the country after the Games," stated one of the sources cited by the media.
The Dominican Foreign Ministry, for its part, remains discreet. It has not publicly confirmed that the alleged intelligence activities are the reason for the measure.
Despite the departure of officials, Dominican sources indicated that the measure does not imply a break in diplomatic relations. The Cuban Embassy will continue to operate in Santo Domingo with the rest of its accredited staff.
Diplomatic crisis between Cuba and the Dominican Republic
The Dominican government had requested this week the withdrawal of nine members of the Cuban diplomatic mission and their families, granting them seven days to leave the country.
The decision immediately sparked a crisis with Havana. The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) rejected the measure and accused Luis Abinader's government of acting under pressure from the United States.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry asserted that its representatives had "strictly fulfilled their duties" and maintained that there was no justification for ordering their departure.
However, the information now published by El Día presents a different version, indicating alleged activities related to Cuban intelligence services.
There is also a discrepancy regarding the number of affected officials: Santo Domingo reports nine, while the MINREX stated it was ten. The measure would involve about 21 people in total, including the family members of the diplomats. They must leave Dominican territory before Sunday, August 16.
The episode takes place amid a growing rift between both governments. Abinader declared in May that Cuba “is not a democratic state” and pointed out that the regime in Havana must “make a change.”
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