Ecuador's President, Daniel Noboa, provided additional reasons on Monday for the decision to declare the Cuban ambassador in Quito and all diplomatic, consular, and administrative staff of the mission as persona non grata.
During a press conference, he stated that there was "significant Cuban interference in political activities, dissident actions, and even violent events in some cases."
The president explained that after gathering "sufficient evidence," Cuban officials were informed that they needed to return home.
Noboa recounted with surprise that immediately after the notification, Cuban diplomats began destroying documents on the rooftop of their headquarters.
"They started burning a heap of papers on the terrace right away, a paper barbecue. And one wonders, 'Why would they do that if diplomatic documents are protected?' They're allowed to take their documents; we can't touch them... Yet they still burned papers," he remarked, highlighting the tension following the expulsion order.
The decision was formalized last Wednesday, March 4, through a diplomatic note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, without providing any explanation. The note only cited the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which allows declaring a member of a diplomatic mission persona non grata.
The Ecuadorian government gave the Cuban diplomats, including Ambassador Basilio Antonio Gutiérrez García, 48 hours to leave the country and issued an executive decree terminating the duties of Ecuador's ambassador to Cuba, José María Borja López.
After the expulsion order, local media broadcast images of Cuban diplomats removing official symbols from their office, while Ecuadorian police and military personnel oversaw the evacuation.
The last official, possibly the ambassador, left with his face completely covered.
From Havana, the Cuban Foreign Ministry rejected the measure, labeling it "arbitrary, unjustified, and hostile."
The MINREX stated that the expulsion occurred "without providing any reason" and denounced it as an "unprecedented unfriendly act" that shows "disregard" for international diplomatic norms.
Cuba's response included the immediate closure of its embassy, removal of all symbols, and suspension of activities in Quito starting March 6.
The expulsion of Cuban diplomats and the destruction of documents within the embassy have sparked a new chapter of tension between Quito and Havana, with immediate repercussions on their bilateral relations.
The Cuban regime suggested that Quito's decision was influenced by U.S. pressure on Latin American countries, just days before the "Shield of the Americas" summit held last Saturday in Miami.
Meanwhile, the departure of Cuban personnel was accompanied by a deployment of Ecuadorian security around the diplomatic headquarters, which remains empty following the mission's withdrawal.
From Cuba, the Foreign Ministry maintained that its officials strictly adhered to the law and the Vienna Convention, describing Ecuador's decision as an unfriendly act that could negatively impact future cooperation between the two nations.
Understanding the Diplomatic Conflict Between Ecuador and Cuba
What prompted Ecuador to expel Cuban diplomats?
Ecuador expelled Cuban diplomats due to alleged Cuban interference in political activities, dissident actions, and violent events in Ecuador.
How did Cuba respond to the expulsion of its diplomats?
Cuba rejected the expulsion, describing it as arbitrary, unjustified, and hostile, and closed its embassy in Quito, withdrawing all its symbols.
What impact might this diplomatic rift have on Ecuador-Cuba relations?
The diplomatic rift could lead to strained bilateral relations and negatively affect future cooperation between Ecuador and Cuba.