The Dominican Republic's government, currently holding the temporary presidency of the Summit of the Americas, has announced that Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela were not invited to the tenth edition of the forum. The decision was made to ensure "the success of the meeting and the widest possible participation," according to their statement.
In an official release, the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the Summit of the Americas—an initiative led by the United States since 1994 and organized by the Organization of American States (OAS)—has certain participation restrictions, particularly for nations that have distanced themselves from the body. "Given the current political polarization, we have opted to prioritize the success of the meeting," the document stated, highlighting that the exclusion of these three countries is aimed at ensuring broader representation across the hemisphere and effective forum progression.
The statement also reminded that Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela did not attend the previous edition of the Summit of the Americas, and their absence is due to strictly multilateral, not bilateral, criteria. Despite their exclusion from this event, the Dominican government clarified that it maintains active and cordial diplomatic ties with each of these countries.
They explained that with Cuba, there are historical and strong relations, with exchanges in various fields. Political differences have been managed with mutual respect. Regarding Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic maintains a cordial link, with collaborations in forums such as SICA, CELAC, the UN, and SEGIB, as well as balanced bilateral trade. Meanwhile, with Venezuela, although historical ties exist, the Dominican Republic has not recognized the results of the last two presidential elections there, while Caracas has suspended diplomatic relations.
The statement concludes by affirming that the decision aims to foster the broadest political dialogue possible, with high hemispheric representation, and aligns with a multilateral responsibility rather than an ideological stance.
The Cuban regime responded to the notification. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez declared that the Summit of the Americas, which he views as "built on exclusion and coercion," is destined to fail. "We express deep concern and rejection of the decision imposed by the US government on the Dominican Republic to exclude three countries, including Cuba, from the 10th Summit of the Americas," he stated.
Key Issues Surrounding the Summit of the Americas
Why were Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela not invited to the Summit?
These countries were excluded to ensure a successful meeting with the widest possible participation, given the current political polarization. Their absence is due to multilateral criteria set by the Summit’s organizing body, the OAS.
What is the stance of the Dominican Republic regarding relations with these countries?
The Dominican Republic maintains active and cordial diplomatic relations with Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, despite their exclusion from the Summit. The country engages in various exchanges and collaborations with each nation.
How did the Cuban government react to their exclusion?
Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez criticized the exclusion, stating that the Summit of the Americas is doomed to fail due to its foundation on exclusion and coercion.