Ecuador draws anger from Cuba after declaring its ambassador and staff ‘persona non grata’
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Ecuador declared the Cuban ambassador, Basilio Antonio Gutiérrez, and his staff to be “persona non grata” on Wednesday and gave them 48 hours to leave the South American country.
Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the move was accepted under the framework of international citizenship law, but did not say why they were forcing the diplomats to leave. The Vienna Convention allows countries to declare foreign nationals as absent without explanation.
Shortly after the announcement, a man was seen on the roof of the Cuban Embassy in Quito burning a paper bag in the oven. The burning was witnessed by the Associated Press and was later posted on video on social media by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, who bluntly said: “Paper sauce.”
Ecuadorian officials did not provide further details about the incident or identify the man.
The Cuban government strongly rejected the move in a statement on Wednesday night, calling it “an unfriendly and unprecedented act that seriously damages the historic relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.”
“This action also shows contempt for the current government of Ecuador for diplomatic practices and the respect seen by the international community,” wrote the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This decision follows an official order signed on Tuesday by Noboa in which he revoked the Ecuadorian ambassador to Cuba, José María Borja, of his diplomatic duties, without explanation.
On the same day, the United States and Ecuador announced that they had begun working together against organized crime groups in the Andean nation. Noboa wants to position himself as a strong leader in crime following the increase in violence by armed groups in recent years.
Increasing US pressure on Cuba
The move comes amid growing pressure from US President Donald Trump on Cuba, which intensified after the US military’s operation to oust former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Day 610:11What is the end result as the US tightens the screws on Cuba?
Cuba has been in an economic crisis for almost 2026, due to the Trump administration’s measures to choke off its oil resources. The resulting fuel shortages have left people without electricity and sometimes even food. Peter Kornbluh, author of Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations between Washington and Havana, says it reveals the threat to the Cuban government and that despite everything, both sides are still interested in a negotiated settlement.
Since then, Trump has imposed restrictions on the sale of oil to Cuba and said that the government is “ready to collapse.” Ecuador is one of the allies of the Trump administration in the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime in the region.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said on Wednesday in an X-post that it seems “no coincidence” that Ecuador expelled Cuban workers at the same time the US is putting pressure on Cuba and other governments in the region, and ahead of a meeting of many Latin American leaders in Miami next week, which Noboa must attend.
Ecuador and Cuba have maintained bilateral relations since the 1960s, which have ebbed and flowed with shifts in Ecuadorian politics.
The decision has an ‘ideological component’: the viewer
Wednesday’s decision “has an ideological component,” said Andrea Endara, associate professor of Political Science and International Relations at Casa Grande University. He said Noboa “aligned himself with the interests of the United States.”
The effective expulsion of Cuban officials follows a number of diplomatic incidents between Ecuador and other Latin American countries in recent years.
In 2024, Ecuadorian officials raided the Mexican embassy to arrest the former vice president who sought refuge there. Experts say this is a clear violation of international law, prompting Mexico to cut ties.
Recently, a trade war broke out between Ecuador and neighboring Colombia, which Noboa’s government accused of not doing enough to eradicate crime along their shared border.
