Cuba shuts its Quito embassy as Ecuador expels its diplomats

QUITO, Ecuador — The Cuban embassy in Ecuador closed its doors on Friday following a 48-hour ultimatum issued by the government of Daniel Noboa.

Prior to their departure, the Cuban flag was taken down from the embassy in northern Quito.

In a statement released on Friday, Cuba’s Foreign Ministry announced the closure of its embassy in Quito and expressed disappointment over the “unilateral and unfriendly action” taken by the Ecuadorian government.

Ecuador expelled Cuba’s ambassador, Basilio Antonio Gutiérrez, and his diplomatic team on Wednesday, declaring them “persona non grata” and giving them 48 hours to leave the country.

Shortly after the announcement, a man was spotted on the roof of the Cuban Embassy in Quito burning documents in an oven. The incident was captured by The Associated Press and later shared on social media by President Noboa, who referred to it as a “paper barbecue.”

Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited international diplomatic law as the basis for their decision but did not provide specific reasons for expelling the diplomats. The Vienna Convention allows countries to expel diplomatic personnel without explanation.

The diplomatic rift occurred just before U.S. President Donald Trump’s upcoming meeting with conservative Latin American leaders in Florida, including Noboa. This action also coincides with heightened U.S. pressure on countries trading oil with Cuba, following Trump’s recent criticism of the nation as a “failed state” and escalating tensions after the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a key Cuban ally, by U.S. forces in Caracas on January 3.

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