Cuba on Tuesday condemned plans by Colombian President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella to sever diplomatic relations with Havana after taking office next month, accusing him of aligning with a US-backed policy of confrontation.
In a statement, Cuba’s Foreign Ministry rejected the planned move as unjustified, saying it would not serve Colombia’s national interests and ran counter to the longstanding ties between the two countries.
De la Espriella, a conservative who is due to take office on August 7, said on Sunday his government would cut diplomatic relations with Cuba and Nicaragua because it would not maintain “relations with tyrannies.”
He also announced plans to close 14 embassies and 15 consulates, including diplomatic missions in Algeria, Haiti, Hungary, Ethiopia and South Africa. However, he said the closures in those countries would not involve breaking diplomatic relations.
Ecuador and Costa Rica both severed diplomatic ties with Cuba in March. Havana said at the time the moves were part of a US-led campaign to isolate the Caribbean island.
Relations between Cuba and several Latin American countries have cooled in recent years as conservative governments have taken office across the region. Mexico’s leftist government remains one of Havana’s few active allies, while conservative leaders have replaced left-leaning governments in countries including Argentina, Bolivia and now Colombia.