SANTO DOMINGO – The Dominican Republic has ordered nine members of Cuba’s diplomatic mission and their families to leave the country within seven days, marking a significant escalation in diplomatic tensions between Santo Domingo and Havana.
The Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Thursday that the government had formally requested the withdrawal of the nine Cuban officials. The ministry did not publicly disclose the reason for the decision but said the measure was taken in accordance with international law and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The order applies not only to the embassy personnel but also to their accompanying family members. Reuters confirmed that the Dominican government formally requested their withdrawal on August 13.
The decision came on the same day that Cuba commemorated the 100th anniversary of the birth of Fidel Castro, the leader of the Cuban Revolution who governed the island for decades before transferring power to his brother Raúl Castro and who died in 2016.
Cuba reacted strongly to the Dominican decision. According to reports, Havana condemned the expulsions and accused the government of President Luis Abinader of aligning itself with increasing U.S. pressure against Cuba. There is also a discrepancy over the number of officials affected: Dominican authorities say nine, while Cuba has referred to ten.
No specific incident involving the Cuban diplomatic mission has so far been publicly identified by the Dominican government as the reason for the measure.
The development comes amid broader geopolitical tensions surrounding Cuba and its relations with the United States and governments across Latin America and the Caribbean.
The expulsion now opens a new period of uncertainty in relations between the Dominican Republic and Cuba. Both countries maintain embassies in each other's capitals and have longstanding diplomatic relations, despite major political differences.
For now, the nine officials identified by the Dominican government and their families have seven days to leave Dominican territory.