Chile Summons U.S. Ambassador Over Sanctions on Three Government Officials

The Chilean government has expressed its displeasure over the imposition of visa restrictions on three members of the government’s administration, summoning the U.S. ambassador in Santiago on Friday.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X this morning:

“The Trump Administration continues to protect America’s economic prosperity by ensuring peace and security in our hemisphere.” Adding, “Today the [State Department] is taking steps to impose U.S. visa restrictions on Chilean government officials who are working against our interests and harming regional safety and security.”

The government of President Gabriel Boric responded by rejecting the accusations, denying that the Chilean government has participated in any actions that have sought to undermine U.S. security interests in the hemisphere.

The Chilean government also condemned the unilateral use of government sanctions “that violates the independence of our country,” according to a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Relations.

The ministry also stated that Chile’s Foreign Minister, Alberto van Klaveren, has summoned the United States Ambassador to Chile, Brandon Judd, to demand an explanation for the U.S. actions.

Last week, Mexico deployed two naval vessels to be docked in Cuba carrying 800 tons of humanitarian aid to the island, amid the United States’ ongoing blockade restricting any oil imports from entering the Caribbean island.

Chile’s outgoing Boric government also pledged a $1 million humanitarian aid package for Cuba, attracting the anger of U.S. socialist hawks like Cuban-American U.S. Representative Carlos Giménez (R-FL).

Giménez responded to the news of U.S. sanctions on Chilean officials by Secretary Rubio’s State Department by writing on X:

“The government of communist Gabriel Boric in Chile is undermining the United States' policy of supporting the murderous dictatorship in Cuba. I had warned them that there would be consequences for their pathetic actions.”