Mexico’s president says his country is breaking diplomatic ties with Ecuador after embassy raid
QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Mexico is breaking off diplomatic ties with Ecuador after police broke into the Mexican embassy in Quito to arrest a former Ecuadorian vice president who has sought political asylum there after being indicted on corruption.
Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador made the announcement Friday night after Ecuadorian police pressured their means into the Mexican embassy to arrest Jorge Glas who has been residing there since December, as a diplomatic rift between the 2 international locations deepened
Glas, arguably probably the most needed man within the country, was convicted on bribery and corruption expenses. Ecuadorian authorities are nonetheless investigating extra allegations towards him.
Police try to interrupt into the Mexican embassy in Quito, Ecuador, Friday, April 5, 2024, following Mexico’s granting of asylum to former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas, who had sought refuge there. Police later forcibly broke into the embassy by one other entrance. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Police broke into the exterior doorways of the Mexican diplomatic headquarters within the Ecuadorian capital and entered the principle patio to get Glas.
“This is not possible, it cannot be, this is crazy,” mentioned Roberto Canseco, head of the Mexican consular part within the capital, Quito, instructed native press whereas standing outdoors the embassy. “I am very worried because they could kill him. There is no basis to do this, this is totally outside the norm.”
Defending its resolution, Ecuador’s presidency mentioned in a press release: “Ecuador is a sovereign nation and we are not going to allow any criminal to stay free.”
López Obrador fired again calling Glas’ detention an “authoritarian act” and “a flagrant violation of international law and the sovereignty of Mexico.”
Roberto Canseco, of the Mexican consulate, stands at an entrance of the Mexican embassy in Quito, Ecuador, after Ecuadorian police forcibly broke into the premises, Friday, April 5, 2024. The raid came about hours after the Mexican authorities granted former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas political asylum. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Alicia Bárcena, Mexico’s secretary of international relations, posted on X, previously Twitter, that quite a lot of diplomats suffered accidents in the course of the break-in, including that it violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Bárcena mentioned that Mexico would take the case to the International Court of Justice “to denounce Ecuador’s responsibility for violations of international law.” She additionally mentioned Mexican diplomats had been solely ready for the Ecuadorian authorities to supply the mandatory ensures for his or her return residence.
Ecuador’s international ministry and Ecuador’s ministry of the inside didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The Mexican embassy in Quito remained beneath heavy police guard late Friday.
A day earlier, tensions between the 2 international locations escalated after Mexico’s president made statements that Ecuador thought-about “very unfortunate” concerning the final elections during which the Ecuadorian president Daniel Noboa received.
In response, the Ecuadorian authorities declared the Mexican ambassador persona non grata.
___
Follow AP’s protection of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
