SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) 鈥� The on Thursday ordered the expulsion of nine Cuban diplomatic officials and their families from the country without offering any reasons for the decision, according to the country’s foreign ministry.
The measure was strongly criticized by which described it as an act of 鈥渟ubmission鈥� to U.S. policies against Havana amidst an
The expulsion of the Cuban officials comes after the creation of the 鈥淪hield of the Americas,鈥� launched in March by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Cuba was not included due to political differences and increased tensions between the U.S. and Havana.
In recent months, several conservative Latin American countries, including Colombia and Ecuador, have cut relations or closed their embassies in Cuba while proclaiming their political alignment with Trump.
Cuba’s Foreign Ministry reacted that the expulsion involved 10 officials 鈥� not nine as the Dominicans had stated 鈥� and expressed regret over the decision by Dominican President Luis Abinader.
鈥淭here is no reason whatsoever to justify this decision by the Dominican authorities,鈥� it said.
The Dominican Republic’s former Minister for Regional Integration Policies, Miguel Mej铆a, considered the measure extreme, comparable only to the rupture imposed during the 31-year dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo that ended in 1961.
He also demanded that 鈥渢he Dominican government explain to the Dominican people the real reasons why it made this decision.”
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