The Cuban regime has officially appointed Indira Nápoles Coello as the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, extending her accreditation to the Republic of Cameroon as well.
This appointment was made by Cuba's Council of State through Resolution 647-X, dated September 7 in Havana, and was published this Tuesday in the Official Gazette of the Republic No. 79 of 2026.
Signed by Juan Esteban Lazo Hernández, president of the National Assembly of People's Power, the resolution was enacted under the powers granted by Article 122, section o) of the Cuban Constitution, following a proposal from the President of the Republic.
The document explicitly states that Nápoles Coello, already accredited in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, should also be accredited concurrently in the Republic of Cameroon.
The implementation of this resolution falls under the responsibility of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla. He has been notified along with the Secretary of the Council of Ministers and the Directorate of State and Government Cadres.
With a degree in law, Nápoles Coello brings a wealth of diplomatic experience from the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, having served as an attachée from 2011 to 2014 in the Directorate of Latin America and the Caribbean, and later as a consular advisor in Brasilia.
By March 2025, she was already fulfilling her diplomatic duties in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, where she participated in official activities during a visit by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz.
Cuba's Diplomatic Strategy in Africa
Cuba's concurrent accreditation is a common diplomatic practice in Africa, where a single embassy often covers multiple nations from one main location.
Cuba has maintained diplomatic ties with the Democratic Republic of the Congo since April 15, 1974, albeit with a brief hiatus from 1977 to 1979, reopening its mission in Kinshasa in 1998.
Simultaneously, the Gazette No. 79 of 2026 also released three other Council of State resolutions concerning diplomatic appointments: Resolution 646-X for France, 649-X for the United Arab Emirates, and 650-X for Guatemala. This suggests a broad overhaul of Cuba's diplomatic corps across various regions worldwide.
Understanding Cuba's Diplomatic Moves
What does concurrent accreditation mean in Cuban diplomacy?
Concurrent accreditation allows a Cuban ambassador to represent Cuba in more than one country simultaneously, a strategy often used in regions like Africa to streamline diplomatic efforts.
Who is Indira Nápoles Coello?
Indira Nápoles Coello is a Cuban diplomat with a law degree and extensive experience in international relations. She has served in various capacities within the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs.