Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa made headlines again this Thursday as he commented on the social media images showing someone burning documents on the rooftop of the Cuban Embassy in Quito. This incident unfolded amidst the recent diplomatic turmoil between the two nations.
In an interview with Radio Canela, Noboa addressed the event with a touch of sarcasm.
"I wasn't aware that part of the Cuban diet included cooking papers... they went to the rooftop to burn a bunch of papers," he remarked, referring to the video that went viral on Wednesday, a clip he himself shared on his social media account.
Amid laughter from the radio hosts, Noboa questioned the potential destruction of documents and cast doubt on the nature of the materials being incinerated.
"I don't think it's anything positive if they were burning tons of paper there on the rooftop," he commented.
In his view, if the documents were of diplomatic importance, they could have been removed from the country through standard channels.
"Any diplomatic paper can be transported in a diplomatic bag, and the State cannot touch it," he clarified, adding, "Maybe they weren't important documents, maybe it was something else..." leaving the situation shrouded in mystery.
The president also expressed his astonishment at the scene captured on video: "I don't believe it's anything positive if they were burning hundreds of papers in broad daylight."
The controversial images depict an individual placing documents on a grill or metal container to incinerate them on the diplomatic building's rooftop, raising questions about the potential destruction of records before the Cuban staff's departure from the country.
Noboa himself shared the video clip on social media with the ironic caption: "Paper barbecue."
This incident occurred shortly after the Ecuadorian government declared Cuba’s ambassador in Quito, Basilio Gutiérrez, and all Cuban diplomatic personnel as persona non grata, giving them 48 hours to leave the country as per the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Simultaneously, Noboa signed an executive decree terminating the duties of Ecuador’s ambassador in Havana, further intensifying the diplomatic rift between the two countries.
Quito's actions and the events at the Cuban embassy come at a time of escalating bilateral tensions, prompting criticism from the Cuban government and reigniting debate over the extent of the diplomatic crisis between Ecuador and Cuba.
Miguel Díaz-Canel responded on March 5, condemning Ecuador’s expulsion of all Cuban diplomatic personnel, including the ambassador. He labeled the action as “unjustified, hostile, and unfriendly.”
In a social media post, Díaz-Canel stated that Ecuador's decision "harms the historic relations of friendship and cooperation between our peoples."
He also accused Quito of acting with "clear submission to imperial interests" amid what he described as a turbulent international context.
Additionally, he affirmed that Cuba would continue to uphold Latin American unity and expressed support for the "people of Alfaro and Guayasamín," referencing historical figures from Ecuador.
Questions on the Diplomatic Tensions Between Ecuador and Cuba
What sparked the recent diplomatic tensions between Ecuador and Cuba?
The tensions were heightened by the incident involving the burning of documents at the Cuban Embassy in Quito, leading to Ecuador declaring Cuban diplomats persona non grata and ordering their expulsion.
How did Ecuador respond to the document burning incident at the Cuban Embassy?
Ecuador responded by expelling the Cuban ambassador and all diplomatic staff, citing the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to justify their actions.
What was Miguel Díaz-Canel's reaction to Ecuador's diplomatic actions?
Miguel Díaz-Canel criticized Ecuador's actions as unjustified and hostile, accusing the Ecuadorian government of aligning with imperial interests.