Ecuadorian police officials in the act of breaking into the Mexican embassy in Quito, Ecuador, April 5, 2024. Photo: David Bustillos/Associated Press.
The National Police of Ecuador invaded the Embassy of Mexico in Quito and detained former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas (2013-2018), who had been granted political asylum in Mexico for being a victim of political persecution by the government of President Daniel Noboa.
The Presidency of Ecuador confirmed on Friday, April 5, the capture of former Vice President Glas, who is close to former President Rafael Correa and a high-profile member of the Citizens’ Revolution Party. “No criminal can be considered to be politically persecuted. Jorge Glas has been convicted with an enforceable sentence and had an arrest warrant issued by the competent authorities,” said Daniel Noboa’s office in a statement.
Grupo de élite de la @PoliciaEcuador ingresa a la embajada de México en #Quito los uniformados estaban en vehículos negros, rompieron las puertas externas de la sede diplomática mexicana y accedieron a los patios. pic.twitter.com/nRTYNsV2lp
— Ecuadorplay (@EcuadorPlay) April 6, 2024
There is an arrest warrant against Glas for alleged embezzlement of funds in the reconstruction of two provinces affected by an earthquake. These allegations are part of an extensive lawfare against Correa officials and ex-President Correa himself, that was started by Correa’s successor Lenin Moreno who had betrayed his own party and voters.
Earlier on Friday, the Mexican government had announced that Glas was granted political asylum in Mexico as he was a victim of political persecution. Glas had started his asylum request some time back, and was living in the Embassy of Mexico in Ecuador at the time of his detention.
Violent invasion of a diplomatic mission
On Friday evening, a group of Ecuadorian police officers stormed the Mexican Embassy in Quito, where former VP Jorge Glas was staying, hours after the Mexican government granted him political asylum amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
The police personnel, who arrived in black vehicles, surrounded the Mexican diplomatic headquarters in the Ecuadorian capital, broke the outer doors and accessed the courtyards.
After breaking into the embassy, the police officials physically assaulted Roberto Canseco, the charge d’affaires of the Mexican Embassy in Quito. Canseco was serving as the temporary head of the Mexican diplomatic mission after the Noboa government had declared Ambassador Raquel Serur Smeke as “persona non grata” amid ongoing bilateral tensions with the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, president of Mexico.
Roberto Canseco, visibly shocked at the unfolding events, said to the press outside the embassy that “they raided the Mexican embassy in Ecuador like criminals—this is not possible, this cannot happen, it’s crazy.”
El jefe de cancillería, Roberto Canseco, se pronunció tras el ingreso y detención del ex vicepresidente Jorge Glas. pic.twitter.com/SlrVgGjyP0
— Ecuadorplay (@EcuadorPlay) April 6, 2024
When asked about the situation of former Vice President Glas, Canseco stated that he was “very worried because they may kill him; there is no basis to do this; this is totally out of all norms.”
Shortly before the raid on the Mexican embassy, Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretary Alicia Bárcena published a message on X, in which she insisted Ecuador grant safe conduct to Glas to allow him to leave the country. “The right to asylum is sacred, and we are acting in full congruence with international conventions, granting asylum to Jorge Glas. I trust that the government of Ecuador will provide him safe conduct as soon as possible,” she wrote.
Mexico suspends diplomatic relations with Ecuador
In response to the violent invasion of the Mexican Embassy in Ecuador, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced the suspension of diplomatic relations with Ecuador due to the “flagrant violation of international law and Mexico’s sovereignty.”
“This is a flagrant violation of international law and Mexico’s sovereignty, due to which I have instructed our foreign affairs secretary [Alicia Bárcena] to issue a statement on this authoritarian act, and to proceed legally and immediately declare the suspension of diplomatic relations with the government of Ecuador,” stated President López Obrador.
“Mexico announces the immediate breaking of diplomatic relations with Ecuador,” Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretary Alicia Bárcena wrote on social media.
En consultas con el pdte. López Obrador, ante la flagrante violación de la Convención de Viena sobre Relaciones Diplomáticas y las lesiones sufridas por el personal diplomático mexicano en Ecuador, México anuncia el inmediato rompimiento de relaciones diplomáticas con Ecuador.
— Alicia Bárcena (@aliciabarcena) April 6, 2024
The Mexican Secretariat of External Relations announced on its official social media accounts that “in view of the flagrant and serious violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, in particular of the principle of inviolability of Mexican diplomatic premises and personnel, and the basic rules of international coexistence, Mexico’s diplomatic personnel in Ecuador will leave that country immediately. Mexico expects Ecuador to offer the necessary guarantees for Mexican personnel to leave.”
“En consultas con el presidente de México, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, y ante la flagrante y grave violación de la Convención de Viena sobre Relaciones Diplomáticas, en particular del principio de inviolabilidad de los locales y del personal diplomático mexicano, y las normas… pic.twitter.com/4ywg3SUyQ1
— Relaciones Exteriores (@SRE_mx) April 6, 2024
The statement further announced that Mexico will resort to the International Court of Justice “to denounce Ecuador for violation of International Law.”
In an interview with Telesur, Bárcena said, “We are in a setback in international relations… We were discussing with Ecuador the issue of migration from a regional point of view, but Ecuador is in a very serious situation in which it is not possible to collaborate.”
(Sputnik, La Jornada) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/AF
