Ecuador has expelled the Cuban ambassador and all diplomatic staff from the socialist Caribbean island.
Mar 5, 2026, 6:28 amMar 5, 2026, 6:28 am
“The ambassador and all members of this diplomatic mission were given 48 hours to leave national territory in accordance with diplomatic practice,” Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry said, without giving specific reasons for the decision.
The government of President Daniel Noboa declared the Cuban ambassador Basilio Antonio Gutiérrez García and other diplomats at the embassy to be persona non grata.
Protesters in front of the Cuban embassy in Quito.Image: keystone
Cuba sees pressure from the USA in the background
Cuba condemned the decision as an “arbitrary and unfounded decision.” It was “an unfriendly and unprecedented act that significantly damages the historic relations of friendship and cooperation between both countries and peoples,” said the Foreign Ministry in Havana. Cuba also hinted at a geopolitical background. The decision was made in the context of increased US aggression against Cuba and strong pressure from the US government on third countries.
Meanwhile, there were unusual scenes at the Cuban embassy in Ecuador’s capital Quito. Footage showed a man apparently burning documents – according to reports, on the terrace of the embassy. Noboa commented on the pictures on X with the words “paper crickets”.
Washington has been putting considerable pressure on Cuba’s communist government for weeks. In December, US President Donald Trump ordered a complete blockade of sanctioned oil tankers carrying supplies from Venezuela – Cuba’s closest ally in the region. Trump then threatened tariffs against Cuba’s oil suppliers. Certain sanctions have now been relaxed. In addition, there was an exchange of fire off Cuba’s coast between Cuban border guards and the crew of a US-registered speedboat, in which four people died. (sda/dpa)