Credit: en.granma.cu/  Tensions between Cuba and Bolivia have been boiling over since the new interim government of Jeanine Áñez’ was formed after former President Evo Morales left the Latin American nation November 2019. 

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

A diplomatic row has erupted between Bolivia and Cuba after the interim government of La Paz announced it is cutting ties with Havana.  Last Friday,  Jerko Nunez, the foreign minister of  Bolivia’s interim government announced that his country had suspended diplomatic relations with Cuba over the latter’s “hostile position” toward the Latin American country. The Bolivian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the break was due to “inadmissible comments” by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla and “the constant hostility” by the Cuban government against the “democratic process” in Bolivia.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba strongly rejects the unfounded allegations of Bolivia’s de facto government.”

the Cuban Foreign Ministry said in a statement released after the announcement. 

“Since its violent inrush in power on November 12, 2019, several members of the de facto government in that country have carried out systematic actions to deteriorate and hinder bilateral relations with Cuba.  The acting authorities deployed a ferocious campaign of lies and distortions against Cuba, particularly against Cuba’s medical cooperation, and publicly encouraged the commission of violent acts against our health staff, which included brutal, illegal and unjustified raids and searches, false allegations and the detention of Cuban cooperation workers,” according to the statement by Cuba’s Foreign Ministry.

Cuba blames Bolivia’s actions on “constant pressure”  from the United States.  

“From the very inception of the coup, officials from the US administration have been putting pressure on Bolivia to impose a deterioration of relations with Cuba, persecute Cuban doctors, harass diplomats and cancel the medical cooperation that benefited the Bolivian people.  As was appropriately denounced, some of these repressive and violent operations against the Cuban health staff involved the direct participation of US “diplomatic” officials.” -Cuba Foreign Ministry. 

After former President Evo Morales left the country, amid a political crisis and violent protests, Bolivia’s new interim government immediately clashed with Havana over the presence of Cuban doctors. Bolivian interim President Jeanine Áñez’ canceled the medical services program administered by the Cuban government that was arranged with Morales after she took office last November. She sent some 700 Cuban doctors back home to Cuba.