The Costa Rican government has closed its embassy in Cuba and told the Cuban government to call back its diplomats from Costa Rica. This move came on Wednesday. President Rodrigo Chaves of Costa Rica stated, “We have to clean out communists from the hemisphere.”
The Cuban embassy in the U.S. took to X to reveal their side of the story, claiming, “On March 17, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship of the Republic of Costa Rica informed our Foreign Ministry, through a Diplomatic Note and without offering any argument, of the unilateral decision to close that country’s Embassy in Cuba.”
They also alleged that “under pressure from the United States, Costa Rica limits its relations with Cuba to the consular sphere.”
Rick Scott on Cuba: They don’t have electricity. They don’t have resources. The government has just destroyed the island.
Collins: Some people may say what the US is doing in Cuba right now with blocking the oil is hurting the people there. Do you have concerns that that it’s… pic.twitter.com/ZPZ2Y1ZCoQ
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 17, 2026
Miguel Díaz-Canel, Cuba’s president, also used his X account to condemn this decision, calling it “an unfriendly act,” as reported by Cuba Headlines. He also blamed this move on “clear pressure from the United States government.”
Donald Trump previously commented on taking Cuba, as reported by Reuters.
In the Oval Office, Trump said, “I do believe I’ll be … having the honor of taking Cuba. That’s a big honor. Taking Cuba in some form.”
He added, “I mean, whether I free it, take it. Think I can do anything I want with it. You want to know the truth. They’re a very weakened nation right now. They were for a long time. Very violent, very violent leaders.”
Costa Rica is an ally of the U.S., and its Foreign Minister, Arnoldo Andre Tinoco, has commented on the plight of the Cuban people.
Tinoco stressed there is “sustained deterioration of the human rights situation on Cuba, as well as the increase in acts of repression against citizens, activists and dissidents.”
According to The Associated Press, the Trump administration has cut Cuba’s crucial oil shipments. This has worsened Cuba’s economic crisis. This move came in an effort to change the regime in Cuba, which is suffering from island-wide blackouts.
Trump: Cuba, it’s a beautiful island. Great weather. I will be having the honor of taking Cuba. Whether I free it, take it. I think I can do anything I want with it, if you want to know the truth pic.twitter.com/Po7J9tJMr2
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 16, 2026
Matilde Visoso, a Cuban, commented on the crisis, “Cuba is waiting for Trump and Marco Rubio, because we can’t wait any longer. It’s too much — there is a lot of repression, there is a lot of hunger…Cuba is in tears.”
Another resident, Jesús García, had a different view. As The Associated Press reported, García said, “Americans can say whatever they want. The ones who decide what is done here in Cuba are the Cuban people.”
Amid all of this, Russia dispatched a large shipment of oil to Cuba, according to The Guardian. Maritime analytics firm Kpler revealed that the Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin has headed to Cuba with 730,000 barrels of crude oil.
