Mexico has withdrawn personnel from its embassy in Ecuador after the unprecedented storming of the building by security forces in an attempt to arrest former Ecuadoran Vice President Jorge Glas, who was sheltering at the embassy. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called the arrest authoritarian and a violation of international law and Mexican sovereignty, leading to the suspension of diplomatic ties with Ecuador. The diplomats and their families left Ecuador and returned to Mexico with the support of several foreign ambassadors.
Glas, a left-wing politician twice convicted of corruption, sought political asylum in the Mexican embassy in Quito after an arrest warrant was issued against him. Ecuadoran special forces raided the embassy equipped with a battering ram, which is considered a violation of diplomatic premises. Ecuador’s presidency accused Mexico of abusing diplomatic immunities and granting asylum against the conventional legal framework. Mexico denounced the physical violence against the head of mission and stated plans to file a complaint against Ecuador at the International Court of Justice.
International condemnation followed the raid, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressing alarm and Spain and the European Union condemning the violation of the Vienna Convention. Latin American governments, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela, rebuked Ecuador and severed diplomatic ties. The United States also condemned the violation of diplomatic missions and encouraged the two countries to resolve their differences in line with international norms.
Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa declared the country to be in an internal armed conflict against drug-trafficking gangs. Concerns arose about Noboa’s willingness to take drastic steps, including raiding Mexico’s embassy, to gain popularity ahead of the elections. Meanwhile, Glas’s lawyer expressed fears for his safety in Ecuador’s detention facilities, where violence and deaths have occurred. She called on international bodies to intervene to ensure his safety and hold President Noboa responsible for his well-being.
The raid on Mexico’s embassy in Ecuador and the subsequent diplomatic fallout have raised questions about the rule of law, respect for diplomatic premises, and the treatment of political asylum seekers in the region. International bodies and governments have called for adherence to international conventions and norms to preserve stability and cooperation among nations. The incident underscores the challenges faced by asylum seekers, the need for diplomacy to resolve conflicts, and the importance of upholding human rights and the rule of law in all circumstances.
