Costa Rica Severs Relations With Cuba: What Expats and Travelers Need to Know
COSTA RICA · TRAVEL & DIPLOMACY
Key Facts
- —The headline San José confirmed on Friday 18 September that Costa Rica has fully broken diplomatic relations with Cuba, after Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar Rivera said so in an interview published on Thursday.
- —The quote Tovar said the rupture holds “until the Cuban people recover their freedom”, and denied that the United States advised or instructed the move.
- —The timeline Costa Rica’s embassy in Havana closed in March 2026 (diplomatic note of 17 March); the two countries had operated at consular level only since the closure.
- —The consular routing Costa Ricans in Cuba now receive consular services through Panama’s embassy in Havana. Cubans in Costa Rica keep processing documents in San José as before.
- —What has not changed No flight suspensions or entry-rule changes have been announced by either government — the confirmed change is diplomatic and consular, not operational for travelers.
- —The history Costa Rica first broke with Havana on 10 September 1961 and restored ties in 2009 under President Óscar Arias.
Costa Rica’s break with Cuba is now official and total — but for most expats and travelers, almost nothing changes today. There are no announced flight or visa changes. The two operational facts are consular: Costa Ricans in Cuba are now served by Panama’s embassy in Havana, and Cubans in Costa Rica continue their paperwork in San José unchanged. Here is what was confirmed, what it means, and what to watch.
What Was Confirmed
Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar Rivera confirmed the full rupture in an interview with the Miami Herald published on Thursday 17 September; the foreign ministry in San José confirmed the position on Friday 18 September. Tovar said the break holds “until the Cuban people recover their freedom”, and said the decision was Costa Rica’s own — not taken on US advice or instruction.
The step formalizes a drawdown already under way. Costa Rica closed its embassy in Havana in March 2026, notifying Havana by diplomatic note on 17 March, and the two countries had operated at consular level only since then.
What Changes for Expats and Travelers — the Two Consular Routings
For Costa Rican citizens in Cuba, consular assistance — emergency documents, notarizations, citizen services — now runs through Panama’s embassy in Havana, which represents Costa Rican interests on the island. Any Costa Rican living in or traveling through Cuba should keep that embassy’s contact details to hand.
For Cuban nationals in Costa Rica, nothing changes in procedure: document processing continues through the existing channels in San José, as it has since the embassy closure in March.
For everyone else — foreign residents of Costa Rica, tourists, dual nationals — no flight suspensions or entry-rule changes have been announced by either government. Commercial travel between Costa Rica and Cuba has been limited for years; if you hold a ticket or plan travel touching Cuba, confirm with your airline, but there is no verified operational change to report.
The Background
Costa Rica first broke relations with Havana on 10 September 1961, early in the Cold War alignment of the region. Ties were restored in 2009 under President Óscar Arias, who framed the reopening as catching up with a changed world. The 2026 rupture reverses that restoration seventeen years on, and it lands as Costa Rica aligns ever more openly with Washington’s regional position — though Tovar explicitly denied a US instruction. That is the minister’s framing; the decision’s full diplomatic cost, including any Cuban response, is not yet visible.
What Comes Next
Watch for three things: any reciprocal measure from Havana; whether the consular arrangement with Panama is formalized in a published agreement; and any effect on migration processing, given the number of Cuban nationals with pending matters in San José. None has been announced. The regional picture is in our daily guide for Saturday 19 September.
Can I still travel from Costa Rica to Cuba?
No flight suspensions or entry-rule changes have been announced by either government, and none are verified. Travel between the two countries was already limited. The change that is confirmed is consular: Costa Rican citizens in Cuba are now served by Panama’s embassy in Havana. If you have travel booked, confirm with your airline.
I am a Cuban national in Costa Rica. What changes for me?
Nothing in procedure. Document processing for Cubans in Costa Rica continues in San José through the existing channels, as it has since the embassy in Havana closed in March 2026. The rupture announcement does not change that routing.
Why did Costa Rica break relations with Cuba?
Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar Rivera said the rupture holds “until the Cuban people recover their freedom”, presenting it as a values-based decision. He denied it followed US advice or instruction. Costa Rica first broke with Havana in 1961, restored ties in 2009 under Óscar Arias, and had already drawn down to consular-level relations after closing its Havana embassy in March 2026, before this full break.
Sources
- Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Costa Rica — rupture confirmation, 18 September 2026
- Miami Herald — interview with Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar Rivera, published 17 September 2026
- Costa Rican diplomatic note to Havana on the embassy closure, 17 March 2026
- Historical record — rupture of 10 September 1961; restoration under President Óscar Arias, 2009
- The Rio Times desk reporting, 17–18 September 2026
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times. See also our daily guide for Saturday 19 September.
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