Dominican Republic says Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela will not be invited to Summit of the Americas

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic announced on Tuesday that it will not invite Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela to the Tenth Summit of the Americas, scheduled for Dec. 4–5, 2025, in Punta Cana. The foreign ministry said the decision seeks to “favor the largest possible attendance” and ensure the smooth development of the forum amid a polarized hemispheric context.

In an official note published by the ministry, the government —which holds the summit’s pro tempore presidency— framed the exclusion as a multilateral choice tied to participation rules of the Organization of American States (OAS). The statement noted that the three governments “for diverse reasons” are not part of the OAS and that they also did not participate in the previous summit in 2022. The ministry stressed that the decision is intended to create the conditions for “the broadest possible political dialogue” at the meeting.

The announcement underscored that bilateral relations with each country remain in place. The Dominican government described ties with Cuba as “historic, strong and excellent” and said relations with Nicaragua are “cordial,” while reiterating its long-standing concerns about recent Venezuelan elections —it has not recognized the results of the last two presidential votes, a point cited in the ministry’s note.

Havana’s foreign ministry responded sharply. Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodríguez denounced the decision as part of an exclusionary dynamic and warned that a Summit “built on exclusion and coercion is doomed to fail,” according to reporting that summarized Cuba’s reaction.

The Tenth Summit of the Americas is expected to bring together hemispheric leaders, private-sector representatives and civil-society actors to discuss cooperation on development, security and regional challenges. The Dominican government said it opted for the invitation list it considered most likely to produce “the highest level of representativeness” across the hemisphere. Observers will be watching whether the decision affects attendance by other governments or prompts diplomatic responses in the run-up to December.