Ecuador declares Cuban ambassador persona non grata, orders diplomatic staff exit

Ecuador declared the Cuban ambassador to Quito, Basilio Antonio Gutiérrez García, persona non grata and ordered the departure of all accredited personnel from the Cuban diplomatic mission. This action was communicated via a notification from Ecuador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, granting a 48-hour deadline for departure.

Key points

• The measure was adopted under Article 9 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which permits states to declare foreign diplomats persona non grata without justification.
• The decision coincides with Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa terminating the functions of Ecuador's ambassador to Cuba, José María Borja López, via Executive Decree 317 on March 3, 2026.
• The expulsion of the Cuban mission follows closely after President Daniel Noboa met with US President Donald Trump in Miami.
• The Ecuadorian Ministry of Defense stated that details of the 'OFENSIVA TOTAL' operations are reserved to avoid hindering future actions.

Why it matters

The simultaneous expulsion of the Cuban diplomatic mission and the recall of Ecuador's ambassador signals a significant deterioration in bilateral relations, potentially leading to a formal rupture.