Governments across Latin America have come together to support Mexico after Ecuador’s security forces stormed the Mexican embassy in Quito to arrest former Vice President Jorge Glas, who had been granted political asylum. This incident occurred on Friday night when special forces surrounded the embassy and extracted Glas, who was wanted on corruption charges. Mexican authorities granted his asylum request on Friday, but he was later arrested and taken to a jail in Guayaquil. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador condemned the arrest as an authoritarian act and a breach of international law.
Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela strongly rebuked Ecuador for violating international norms and called for a repudiation of the action. Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro emphasized the importance of upholding international law in the face of barbarism and expressed support for legal protections for Glas. The United States also condemned the violation of diplomatic conventions and urged the two countries to resolve their differences through international norms. The United Nations Secretary-General and the Organization of American States called for dialogue to resolve the escalating dispute and ensure compliance with international treaties regarding asylum rights.
The Mexican embassy in Ecuador remained surrounded by police, and diplomatic personnel were preparing to leave the country. Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that staff and their families would depart on a commercial flight, accompanied by personnel from friendly countries. Demonstrators in Mexico City rallied outside Ecuador’s embassy, accusing Quito of being fascist. Mexico’s top diplomat expressed shock at the embassy incursion and revealed that some embassy personnel were injured during the raid. Glas, who served as vice president under former president Rafael Correa, was released from prison in November after serving time for corruption related to the Odebrecht scandal.
Glas faces another arrest warrant for allegedly diverting funds intended for earthquake reconstruction efforts. He claims to be a victim of political persecution, a charge denied by Ecuador’s government. Correa, who has been exiled in Belgium since 2017, criticized the violation of the embassy and alleged that Glas was mistreated during the arrest. The incident has sparked outrage across Latin America and raised concerns about the breach of diplomatic and international norms. The situation remains tense as governments call for dialogue and adherence to international treaties to resolve the dispute over Glas’s arrest and asylum status. Mexico’s decision to withdraw embassy personnel reflects the seriousness of the diplomatic fallout from this incident.
