Overview
- Costa Rican Foreign Minister Arnoldo André Tinoco announced the embassy closure and asked Cuba to withdraw its diplomats in San José, keeping only consular staff.
- President Rodrigo Chaves said his government does not recognize the Cuban regime’s legitimacy and declared it was time to “clean the hemisphere of communists.”
- Costa Rica’s mission in Havana had lacked diplomatic staff since February 5, and consular services for Costa Ricans will be handled from Panama.
- Cuba’s Foreign Ministry condemned the step as a unilateral move taken under U.S. pressure, while no additional reciprocal measures were announced.
- The shift echoes recent regional moves, including Ecuador’s March expulsion of Cuba’s ambassador, and tracks with intensified U.S. pressure on Havana under President Donald Trump.