Mexican embassy in Quito was stormed by Ecuadorian police in an attempt to arrest former vice president Jorge Glas, who had sought political asylum in Mexico. Mexico had granted political asylum to Glas, who had been convicted of corruption charges in Ecuador and had been staying in the embassy since December. The situation escalated when Ecuadorian special forces forcibly entered the embassy and arrested Glas, causing Mexico to suspend diplomatic relations with Ecuador. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador condemned the actions as an authoritarian act and a violation of international law and sovereignty.
The storming of the embassy and arrest of Glas were seen as a breach of international law by many, including Mexico’s foreign minister Alicia Barcena. Several diplomats were injured during the incident, leading Mexico to announce that diplomatic personnel will leave Ecuador and the country will appeal to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to hold Ecuador accountable for the violations. The use of force to arrest Glas was deemed unjustified, regardless of any grievances Ecuador may have had against him.
The situation was further complicated by remarks made by President Lopez Obrador about Ecuador’s elections, which the South American country deemed as “very unfortunate”. He commented on the assassination of a presidential candidate in Ecuador and compared it to recent violence in Mexico’s election cycle. Ecuador eventually declared the Mexican ambassador persona non grata and directed her to leave the country soon. Ecuador has been facing a new wave of violence, including riots in prisons, escapes of criminal leaders, and masked gunmen taking hostages during a live television broadcast.
The actions taken by Ecuador in storming the Mexican embassy and arresting Glas have sparked outrage and sparked diplomatic tensions between the two countries. Mexico’s decision to grant political asylum to a convicted former vice president and the subsequent actions by Ecuador have raised concerns about respect for international law and diplomatic protocols. The appeal to the International Court of Justice will likely further escalate the situation and could have long-lasting implications for the relationship between Mexico and Ecuador. The events in Quito have highlighted the complexities and challenges of diplomatic relations between countries, especially in cases involving political asylum and breaches of international law.
