Dominican Republic Announces Exclusions for Upcoming Summit
The Dominican Republic, as the host nation for the upcoming 10th Summit of the Americas, has announced that Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua will not be invited to the high-level gathering. The summit is scheduled to take place from December 4-5, 2025, in Punta Cana. This decision has drawn sharp criticism from Cuba, which has directly accused the United States of orchestrating the exclusions.
Cuba Alleges US Imposition in Exclusionary Decision
Following the announcement, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla vehemently denounced the decision. Rodríguez stated that Cuba expresses 'deep concern and rejection of the decision imposed by the US government on the Dominican Republic to exclude three countries, including Cuba, from the 10th Summit of the Americas.' He further warned that a Summit 'built on exclusion and coercion is doomed to fail,' highlighting Cuba's long-standing opposition to such policies.
Host Nation Cites Multilateral Criteria for Invitations
The Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on September 30, 2025, explaining its rationale for the exclusions. The ministry indicated that the decision was made to 'favor the largest possible attendance' and ensure the 'smooth development of the forum amid a polarized hemispheric context.' The statement framed the exclusion as a multilateral choice, noting that Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua are not active members of the Organization of American States (OAS), which coordinates the Summit process, and did not participate in the previous summit in 2022.
Despite the exclusions, the Dominican government clarified that it maintains active and cordial diplomatic relations with each of the uninvited nations. It described ties with Cuba as 'historic, strong and excellent,' and relations with Nicaragua as 'cordial.' Regarding Venezuela, the Dominican Republic reiterated its concerns about recent elections, having not recognized the results of the last two presidential votes.
Historical Context of Summit Exclusions
The exclusion of these nations from the Summit of the Americas is not unprecedented. Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua were also notably absent from the 9th Summit of the Americas held in Los Angeles, United States, in June 2022. That event also faced criticism and boycotts from some regional leaders over the US's decision to exclude these countries, which Washington deemed undemocratic. The ongoing debate surrounding inclusivity has been a recurring theme in the Summit of the Americas process, which aims to bring together heads of state and government from across the Western Hemisphere to discuss shared challenges.
7 Comments
Loubianka
DR made the right call. No room for authoritarian regimes at the table.
Coccinella
Exclusion achieves nothing but further isolation and resentment for these nations.
BuggaBoom
The Dominican Republic has a right to set its guest list, especially citing OAS membership as a criterion. However, the recurring accusation of US pressure in these exclusions undermines the perceived independence and effectiveness of the summit itself.
Noir Black
The DR clearly caved to US pressure. Disappointing for regional autonomy.
Eugene Alta
Good. Dictatorships don't belong at a summit for democracies.
lettlelenok
If they're not OAS members, why invite them? Simple logic.
ytkonos
It's clear that the aim is to avoid polarization at the summit by excluding these nations. Yet, this strategy risks creating even deeper rifts and resentment among nations that feel marginalized or influenced by external powers.