QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — The Ecuadorian government has given Cuba’s ambassador, Basilio Antonio Gutiérrez, along with his entire diplomatic team, a 48-hour deadline to exit the South American nation after declaring them unwelcome on Wednesday.
In an official statement, Ecuador’s Foreign Affairs Ministry announced the action was taken under international diplomatic protocols but offered no reasoning for expelling the Cuban diplomats. Under the Vienna Convention, nations can remove diplomatic personnel without providing justification.
Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Cuba’s embassy in Quito for comment were unsuccessful.
This diplomatic move follows President Daniel Noboa’s executive order from Tuesday that terminated the duties of Ecuador’s ambassador to Cuba, José María Borja, again without providing any explanation.
On the same day, Ecuador and the United States revealed they had launched combined military efforts targeting organized criminal networks operating within Ecuador.
These actions occur as President Donald Trump escalates pressure on Cuba, particularly following a U.S. military intervention that removed former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power.
Trump has subsequently imposed limitations on petroleum exports to Cuba and declared the Cuban government was “ready to fall.” Ecuador has positioned itself as a key partner for the Trump administration in regional efforts to combat drug trafficking and organized criminal activities.
