Miguel Díaz-Canel, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, has rejected Costa Rica’s unilateral decision to close its embassy in Havana and limit bilateral relations to the consular level.

In a message published on X, Díaz-Canel described the measure as “an unfriendly act” driven by “evident pressure from the U.S. government, as part of its renewed offensive to try to bring other countries into its failed policy against Cuba.” He added that such efforts would ultimately fail, stating that “they will crash against the strength of the historic and deep ties between both peoples.”

The Cuban president reiterated that Havana rejects “the unilateral decision of the government of Costa Rica to downgrade relations with Cuba, limiting them to the consular level, without any argument or justification.”

Meanwhile, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Cuba’s minister of foreign affairs, also condemned the decision, calling it “arbitrary and unjustified.” He characterized it as “an act of clear submission to the pressures and dictates of the U.S. government,” which he said is attempting to draw other countries in the region into its longstanding efforts to isolate Cuba.

Rodríguez further argued that the decision is “doomed to fail,” noting that historical ties between Cuba and Costa Rica have repeatedly withstood similar tensions.

Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement rejecting what it described as “disrespectful declarations” by Rodrigo Chaves Robles. According to the statement, the Costa Rican president sought to justify the move by misrepresenting Cuba’s reality while ignoring the role of the U.S. blockade in the country’s economic difficulties—an impact that Costa Rica itself has acknowledged in the past.

The Cuban Foreign Ministry explained that on March 17, Costa Rica formally notified Havana of its decision via diplomatic note, without providing justification. The measure includes closing its embassy in Havana and requesting that Cuba reduce its diplomatic presence in San José to consular and administrative staff only. As of April 1, bilateral relations will be limited to consular affairs.

The statement further alleged that the decision was taken under external pressure, without consideration for the interests of the Costa Rican people. It accused the Costa Rican government of aligning once again with U.S. policy aimed at isolating Cuba in the region.

Despite the diplomatic setback, Cuban authorities emphasized that relations between the two nations’ peoples remain strong. The Foreign Ministry concluded that “nothing will be able to distance the peoples of Cuba and Costa Rica, united by indissoluble ties of a shared history,” referencing historical figures such as José Martí and Antonio Maceo.