A group of police officers from Ecuador forcibly entered the Mexican Embassy in Quito on Friday and detained former Vice President Jorge Glas, hours after the Mexican Government granted him political asylum.
After the raid, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador broke relations with the Andean country last night and ordered the departure of diplomatic personnel from Ecuador.
“This is a flagrant violation of international law and the sovereignty of Mexico, for which I have instructed our chancellor… [para que] proceed legally and immediately declare the suspension of diplomatic relations with the government of Ecuador,” said López Obrador, who pointed out that Glas is “politically persecuted.”
Roberto Canseco, head of the Mexican consular section in Quito, expressed after the emergence of the Ecuadorian authorities: “I am stunned by the situation that has occurred (…) It is the worst action that I have been able to witness from a foreign government; it is totally unacceptable that they have violated the diplomatic status of the embassy.
Asked about Glas’ situation, he said that “I simply fear for his life.”
Canseco, who struggled with Ecuadorian agents on a street next to the embassy and ended up on the floor, said he was shot at.
Foreign Minister Alicia Bárcena confirmed the immediate severing of diplomatic ties alleging “the flagrant violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the injuries suffered by Mexican diplomatic personnel in Ecuador.”
“In this sense, Mexico’s diplomatic personnel in Ecuador will leave that country immediately,” he stressed, pointing out that his country “expects Ecuador to offer the necessary guarantees” for departure. In addition, Mexico will appeal to the International Court of Justice to denounce Ecuador’s responsibility for violations of International Law, she added.
The police, who arrived in black vehicles, broke the external doors of the Mexican diplomatic headquarters in the north of the Ecuadorian capital and entered the patios.
The Ecuadorian government released a subsequent statement confirming the arrest of Glas and his placing at the disposal of the competent judicial authorities.
The text, titled “We defend national sovereignty, zero impunity,” indicated that “no criminal can be considered politically persecuted.” And he added that “having abused the immunities and privileges of the diplomatic mission that housed Glas and granted diplomatic asylum contrary to the conventional framework, he has proceeded with his capture.”
It should be noted that former Vice President Glas was convicted in 2017 in two proceedings – one for bribery and another related to the Odebrecht plot – but was released from prison in November 2022 after judicial appeals. In addition, an investigation has been opened against him for irregularities during his management of the reconstruction work after the 2016 earthquake.
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2024-04-24 15:15:18