Arizona Tribune - Costa Rica closes Havana embassy, tells Cuba to withdraw diplomats

"We have to clean out communists from the hemisphere," Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves declared after the diplomatic rupture.

Costa Rica's leadership is allied with US President Donald Trump, who has escalated threats to topple Cuba's authorities and is pressing a punishing energy blockade against the island nation.

Costa Rican Foreign Minister Arnoldo Andre Tinoco cited "deep concern" about the "sustained deterioration of the human rights situation on Cuba, as well as the increase in acts of repression against citizens, activists and dissidents."

"We have made the decision to proceed...with the closure of the Costa Rican embassy in the Republic of Cuba," Tinoco said. "Likewise, we have requested that the Cuban Foreign Ministry withdraw its diplomatic personnel from the embassy in San Jose, with the exception of consular officials."

In doing so, Costa Rica follows in the footsteps of another Trump ally, Ecuador, which on March 4 expelled Cuba's ambassador, Basilio Gutierrez, accusing him of interfering in the country's internal political affairs and engaging in "violent activities."

P.A.Mendoza--AT