Mexico has accused the Ecuadorian government of a flagrant violation of international law after police officers entered its embassy in Quito to arrest Jorge Glas, a former vice president facing corruption charges.
Glas had sought refuge in the embassy in December of last year, and was granted political asylum by Mexico only a few hours before the Ecuadorian police stormed the diplomatic mission on April 4.
Immediately after the raid, the Mexican government cut diplomatic ties with Ecuador and recalled all its diplomatic staff in Quito. In addition, Mexico is preparing to proceed legally against Ecuador at the International Court of Justice, Foreign Minister Alicia Bárcena said, and on Thursday issued a formal complaint with the United Nations.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador condemned the raid on the embassy, calling it “unprecedented” and “the arrogant attitude of a (weak) government, possibly due to internal rivalry.”
Conservative-leaning Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, the 35-year-old son of the country’s richest businessman who surprisingly won a snap election held in November last year, defended the raid, saying it was “unacceptable to give asylum to convicted criminals involved in serious crimes.”
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