Cubans residing in Ecuador assert that they have never received assistance from their country's embassy in Quito, and they have expressed approval of President Daniel Noboa's decision to expel Cuban diplomats.
Jorge Lázaro Leyva, a Cuban citizen living in Ecuador for over 14 years, told Ecuador's TC Televisión that the Havana diplomatic mission failed to provide genuine support to emigrants.
"Here, I have freedom. I can stand in the middle of the street and speak my mind without consequences. If this same interview were conducted in Cuba, you'd be kicked out of the country, and I'd be jailed," Leyva stated during a televised segment shared on the media outlet's X profile.
He further claimed that the Cuban embassy "did not serve the interests of its citizens but rather those of the Castro government," and he supported the Ecuadorian president's decision to expel the diplomatic staff.
Leyva also alleged, without evidence, that many of the diplomatic staff were connected to Cuban state security and did not perform true diplomatic duties.
On Thursday, the Ecuadorian government gave Cuban diplomats 48 hours to leave the country. Failing to do so would result in the loss of their immunity, subjecting them to Ecuador's immigration laws like any other foreign national.
This decision is part of a diplomatic conflict between the two governments, prompting Ecuador to expel Cuban embassy staff and effectively close the mission in Quito.
Havana quickly responded. On Friday, Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrex) expressed regret over what it called the "unilateral and unfriendly action of the Ecuadorian government," which it argued undermines the historical spirit of respect and cooperation between the two nations.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry also acknowledged support from certain political sectors and organizations within Ecuador that criticized the expulsion. These included the International Medical Society SMI-ELAM, the Ecuadorian Coordinator of Friendship and Solidarity with Cuba, the political movement Citizen Revolution, and the Ecuadorian Communist Party, which condemned the expulsion as aligned with U.S. interests.
Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel called the expulsion "unjustified, hostile, and unfriendly," accusing the Ecuadorian government of "submitting to imperial interests."
Subsequently, Minrex announced the immediate removal of the embassy's symbols and attributes in Quito, officially ceasing its operations as a diplomatic mission from 10:00 a.m. on March 6.
This expulsion marks another chapter of tension between Havana and regional governments, raising questions about the role of Cuba's official missions abroad.
Impact of Diplomatic Tensions Between Cuba and Ecuador
Why did Ecuador expel Cuban diplomats?
Ecuador expelled Cuban diplomats as part of a diplomatic dispute, with allegations that the Cuban embassy was not supporting its citizens and was instead serving the interests of the Cuban government.
How did Cuba react to the expulsion of its diplomats from Ecuador?
Cuba reacted by expressing regret over Ecuador's actions, describing them as unfriendly and unjustified. The Cuban government also accused Ecuador of aligning with U.S. interests.
What was the local response in Ecuador to the expulsion of Cuban diplomats?
Some political sectors and organizations in Ecuador, including the International Medical Society SMI-ELAM and the Ecuadorian Communist Party, criticized the expulsion, viewing it as influenced by U.S. interests.