A person walks past the Cuban Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Thursday. The Dominican government formally requested that the embassy withdraw nine members of its diplomatic mission and their family members within seven days. Photo by Orlando Barria/EPA
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Cuba accused the Dominican Republic of bowing to U.S. pressure after Santo Domingo ordered members of the Cuban diplomatic mission and their families to leave the country, escalating tensions between the Caribbean neighbors.
The Dominican Foreign Ministry said Thursday it formally requested the withdrawal of nine members of Cuba's diplomatic mission and their families and gave them seven days to leave the country. The ministry did not publicly disclose the reasons for the decision.
The ministry said the measure falls within the authority granted to receiving states under international law and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Cuba's Foreign Ministry strongly rejected the decision, saying there was "no justification" for the removal of its diplomats and maintaining that they had complied with the Vienna Convention and Dominican law.
