ECUADOR – Ecuador on Wednesday expelled the entire Cuban diplomatic mission, giving them 48 hours to vacate the country, as Quito aligns with the United States.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially designated all accredited Cuban personnel in Quito as persona non grata.

The administration of right-wing President Daniel Noboa justified the move by invoking Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which allows a host state to dismiss diplomatic staff without providing a specific explanation.

As part of the diplomatic sweep, Noboa also ordered the immediate withdrawal of Ecuador’s ambassador in Havana, Jose Maria Borja Lopez.

A career diplomat, he had served in Cuba since 2021 and held concurrent responsibilities in Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Dominica.

The executive decree cited Article 141 of the Ecuadorian Constitution, which establishes the president’s authority as head of state, alongside Article 147, which grants him the power to appoint and dismiss public officials at his discretion.

The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the move, labeling it “arbitrary and unjustified.” Havana described the expulsion as an “unfriendly and unprecedented act” that threatens to dissolve the historic cultural and political bonds between the two nations.

Cuban officials suggested that the timing of the expulsion is no coincidence, attributing the decision to pressure from the United States.

The diplomatic break comes just days before a high-profile summit in Miami scheduled for March 7, where regional leaders will meet with US President Donald Trump.

The atmosphere in Quito remained tense Wednesday, with roughly a dozen police and military officers patrolling the exterior of the Cuban embassy, according to local media.

Noboa has significantly strengthened ties with the Trump administration, particularly through security cooperation and shared intelligence in the fight against drugs.

This alignment further solidifies his position within a specific bloc of Latin American leaders, including those from Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, El Salvador and Honduras, who are seeking closer integration with Washington’s foreign policy objectives.

By expelling the Cuban mission, Noboa has ignited a new diplomatic crisis, adding Cuba to a list of countries including Venezuela, Mexico and Nicaragua with which Ecuador has already severed ties.