The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Relations announced on 30 September 2025 that it will not extend invitations to Cuba, Venezuela, or Nicaragua for the Tenth Summit of the Americas, set to take place in Punta Cana from 1-5 December 2025.
The Ministry of Foreign Relations explains that the decision, intends to “prioritize the success of the encounter” amid the current climate of “political polarization,” and is rooted in the Summit’s structure, which is closely coordinated with the Organization of American States (OAS).
“The non-invitation to Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela —countries that, for various reasons, have decided not to be part of the OAS and did not participate in the last edition of the Summit of the Americas— constitutes the decision that, given hemispheric circumstances, favors the largest convening and ensures the development of the forum,” the Ministry states in its informative note.
The Ministry of Foreign Relations explains that hosting the Summit is one of the Dominican Republic’s main challenges, requiring it to exercise its pro tempore presidency in the interest of the majority of member states.
While the government had previously announced its goal to make the Tenth Summit inclusive, it ultimately decided that excluding these three nations would ensure the highest level of participation and the broadest political dialogue possible.
This stance, the Ministry stresses, is a strictly multilateral criterion tied to the specific nature of the OAS-linked Summit of the Americas.
The Ministry makes the point that the exclusion does not reflect a change in the Dominican Republic’s broader diplomatic approach.
“In other occasions, when the Dominican Republic was host country for the Ibero-American Summit in Santo Domingo in 2023 or the CELAC Summit in Bávaro in 2017, these countries were invited and participated fully,” the statement clarified.
Thus, the Ministry stresses that the decision is not an indicator of fractured bilateral relations with these countries, which it maintains are managed separately:
• Cuba: Relations are described as “historical, solid, and excellent.” Bilateral exchanges have never been interrupted, and political differences are managed with “reciprocal respect.”
• Nicaragua: Relations are “cordial,” with the two nations sharing space in forums like SICA, CELAC, and the UN, in addition to maintaining balanced bilateral trade.
• Venezuela: The two nations share “deep historical ties.” However, the Dominican government has not recognized the legitimacy of Venezuela’s last two presidential elections, and Venezuelan authorities have suspended diplomatic relations.
Read more:
Ministry of Foreign Relations
US State Department
Wikipedia on the Summit of the Americas
1 October 2025