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Dominican Republic’s expulsion of Cuban officials sparks geopolitical tension
Cuba said the move reflects U.S. pressure as the Dominican Republic cited international law and gave no public reason for the expulsions.
On Thursday, the Dominican Republic ordered nine Cuban diplomatic officials and their families to leave within seven days, according to the Dominican Foreign Ministry, citing authority under the Vienna Convention without disclosing reasons.
The expulsion follows the March launch of the "Shield of the Americas," a regional security initiative by U.S. President Donald Trump, amid a broader shift in Latin American diplomatic alignment with Washington.
Havana disputes the count, claiming 10 officials were expelled rather than nine, while the Cuban Foreign Ministry rejected the decision as "submission" to U.S. government pressure.
Cuba warned the move would "seriously damage" relations between the two governments, while former Minister for Regional Integration Policies Miguel Mejia compared the extreme measure to the diplomatic rupture during the 31-year dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo.
Despite the expulsion, the Dominican government reportedly intends to preserve diplomatic ties with Havana, even as the two nations navigate a history of volatility that saw relations severed in 1959 and restored in 1998.
"It is not the first time that the Dominican Government has aligned itself with the hostile policy and aggressive escalation of the United States against our country," said Cuba's Foreign Ministry and stressed that its diplomats are acting in strict compliance with the Vienna Convention.
7 days ago·Caracas, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)