Foreign Minister Yerko Nunez announced the suspension of diplomatic relations with Cuba due to alleged interference in the country by the Cuban government.

"We have made the decision to suspend diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cuba," Nunez said at a press conference on Friday.

"This decision will suspend agreements and negotiations with Cuba and will reduce diplomatic staff in the two countries," said the Bolivian Deputy Foreign Minister, Carlos Zannier, claiming that the government of Cuba ceased understanding their reality and for this reason, they decided on this action against the Cuban government.

After the resignation of the government of Evo Morales on 10 November 2019, Jeanine Áñez assumed the presidency in Bolivia on 11 November 2019 after convening the Senate to formally accept the resignations of the previous day.

Following Evo Morales' rise to power in Bolivia in January 2006, Bolivia and Cuba became staunch allies and Bolivia joined the Cuba- and Venezuela-founded trade bloc ALBA. Bolivia became a long time recipient of aid from Cuba, especially Cuban medical internationalism.

After the ouster of Evo Morales in November 2019, relations between Bolivia and Cuba deteriorated as Bolivia's new interim president Jeanine Anez criticized Cuba for propping up its political ally Nicolas Maduro. The government of Jeanine Añez directly accused the Cuban actions to the relationship established by and through former minister and former ambassador  Juan Ramon Quintana and also former minister Hugo Moldiz, who would have been the link for Cuban action on Bolivian soil through the former Bolivian consul in Cuba, Jessica Suarez Mamani and the secretary of Quintana, Natalia Rodriguez Blanco. (ILKHA)