Cuba Receives Diplomats Expelled from the Dominican Republic

Cuba on Wednesday received the ten diplomats expelled from the Dominican Republic, in a ceremony where Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal warned that the measure responds to Washington's escalation to isolate the island.

"The Dominican authorities have not been able to present a single reason justifying such a decision, because none exists. It has therefore become evident that they have merely bowed to pressure from the U.S. government," Vidal stated during the ceremony at the Cuban Foreign Ministry headquarters.

The deputy foreign minister underscored that the measure is part of Washington's aggressive escalation, which in its "desperate effort to try to isolate our country, aims to nullify solidarity with this besieged, blockaded, and harassed island, and to damage Cuba's ties with Latin American and Caribbean peoples."

Vidal highlighted that the Dominican government is well aware of the worth and professionalism of Cuban diplomats, "who have always acted in strict compliance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the laws and regulations of that country."

The decision, she specified, was made at a time when Cuba, the world, and friends in the Dominican Republic have been celebrating the centennial of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, who during his studies at the University of Havana served as president of the Solidarity Association with that country.

"There are governments that succumb to the empire's designs and renounce their own national interests, but we know of the resistance of our peoples and we trust that they, as always, will know how to wage the battles for justice, peace, dignity, solidarity, and brotherhood," Vidal affirmed.

Meanwhile, Vice Consul Odin Ysla Hernández, on behalf of the expelled officials, stated that the notification from the Dominican Foreign Ministry came just 48 hours before the commemoration of the centennial of Fidel Castro's birth, and called the decision "unjustified."

The diplomat recalled that on August 13, a political-cultural gala dedicated to the life and example of the Cuban leader was held at the main hall of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, with the attendance of more than 1,100 friends of Cuba representing the Dominican people.

"What pride we feel in being men and women of Fidel. Those of us who raise the flag of the lone star before every achievement and effort of our athletes," he said, referring to the third-place finish obtained by the Cuban delegation at the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games held in Santo Domingo.

After learning of the decision, Cuba's Foreign Ministry recalled in a statement issued on August 13 that this is not the first time the Dominican government has aligned itself with the hostile policy and aggressive escalation of the United States against the island.

As evidence of that posture, it mentioned Cuba's exclusion from the postponed X Summit of the Americas and the Dominican Republic's change of vote on the Cuban resolution against the blockade at the UN General Assembly.