Havana/The Government of Belgium reported the closure of its embassy in Havana and the Cuban regime has responded by showing its “surprise and disappointment.” The announcement, made on November 18 by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is part of a restructuring of its diplomatic network that includes the closure of eight missions and the opening of five new representations.
According to the Belgian official note, the change is due to a “strategic redistribution” of resources, and does not constitute a break in its relations with Cuba, since consular services will be assumed from other regional missions and special envoys.
For its part, the Cuban embassy in Belgium stated that the measure “does not correspond to the historical ties that unite both peoples”, emphasizing the more than 120 years of bilateral relations that, according to the text, have included scientific, cultural, academic and economic exchanges.
The measure “does not correspond to the historical ties that unite both towns”
The Belgian Foreign Ministry maintained that the decision responds to a technical and strategic analysis. The chancellor Maxime Prévot explained that the review was the first in more than a decade and that the Government pursues a more “broad, resilient and future-oriented” diplomacy.
For Cuba, the decision also has a strong symbolic impact at a time when official ties with Europe have cooled and the regime’s international reputation has deteriorated. Especially after the recent closure of the Ukrainian diplomatic headquarters on the island and the complaints about the recruitment of Cubans to participate in the Russian invasion against that country.
In the short term, Cuban and Belgian citizens will have to face changes in consular procedures. The services provided by the Belgian embassy in Havana—visas, citizen registration and consular assistance—will now have to be provided from other countries, such as Panama.
But the impact does not end there, in Cuba, the Belgian embassy was also an interlocutor between official institutions and the European Union in various cooperation projects: its closure can slow down cultural initiatives and academic collaboration.
The Belgian Foreign Ministry maintained that the decision responds to a technical and strategic analysis
In its statement, the Cuban representation in Brussels requested “that the measure not harm the links between institutions, businessmen and ‘the many friendships’ established between both peoples.” The island’s embassy warned that the closure “contradicts” Belgium’s discourse on Latin America and the Caribbean, and expressed its expectation that the decision will not lead to “a de facto rupture.”
Although Belgian authorities say bilateral diplomacy will continue through other channels, the move comes at a time of growing tensions between Havana and the West. For Havana, it represents a new challenge in its strategy of strengthening European alliances that counteract its isolation with Latin America and Russia.
The Cuban institution concluded its statement by pointing out that it maintains “the will to preserve existing ties”, even in a scenario of “difficult understanding” for citizens waiting for consular services and cultural cooperation who may be affected by the Belgian decision.
