MEXICO CITY (France24).- This Tuesday, April 16, the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, announced the closure of the Embassy and consulates of his country in Ecuador, in response to the invasion of the Ecuadorian Police at the Mexican diplomatic headquarters. in Quito, on April 5.
Other diplomatic decisions by Honduras and Colombia were added to the Venezuelan decision. During a meeting of the Celac regional forum, countries such as Nicaragua and Bolivia also showed their indignation at the events. The raid aimed at the arrest of former Ecuadorian vice president Jorge Glas, convicted of corruption, and who had received asylum from the Administration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
A new front opens in the midst of diplomatic tensions between Ecuador and Mexico.
Venezuela withdrew all its diplomatic personnel and closed its Embassy and consulates in Ecuadorian territory. This was confirmed this Tuesday, April 16, by President Nicolás Maduro, during a virtual meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), and, separately, by his Foreign Minister, Yvan Gil.
It is a threat to all countries that have an embassy in Ecuador
According to Caracas, the measure is in response to the controversial arrest of former Ecuadorian vice president Jorge Glas and in solidarity with the Government of Mexico.
“It is a threat to all countries that have an embassy in Ecuador, he says that he received an order to assault the Mexican Embassy and that he would do it again, therefore, in the face of this aberrant act of arrogance by President Noboa (… .) I announce that I have ordered to close our embassy in Ecuador, close the consulate in Quito, immediately close the consulate in Guayaquil and for the diplomatic personnel of Venezuela to return immediately until International Law is expressly restored in Ecuador,” he assured. Ripe.
Caracas’s blunt decision to withdraw all its diplomatic personnel from Quito caused a ‘domino effect’ within a meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), convened especially to address the break-in at the Mexican Embassy and in which Some figures of the progressive movement in the region reaffirmed their support for the Government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The origin of the diplomatic crisis
On April 5, Ecuadorian security forces stormed the Mexican Embassy in Quito to arrest former Vice President Jorge Glas, who was taking refuge there and obtained asylum after being convicted of corruption.
“Likewise, we have received instructions from the president, Nicolás Maduro, to initiate actions to support Mexico’s proposal to request the expulsion of Ecuador from the UN, as well as its claim filed before the International Court of Justice (ICJ),” added the Venezuelan foreign minister, through platform
On April 8, the Government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador denounced Ecuador before that court based in The Hague and requested this measure against it, accusing it of alleged violations of International Law.
The Organization of American States (OAS) also approved a resolution of condemnation on April 10, in which it “strongly” rejected the incursion authorized by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and asked the two countries to begin “a dialogue and take action.” to resolve this serious matter constructively.”
Read alsoOAS condemns Ecuador’s invasion of the Mexican Embassy; Glas begins hunger strike, according to his lawyer
However, relations remain broken after the Mexican Government broke diplomatic ties with Quito in response to the assault on its embassy and continues to demand a public apology from the Noboa Administration.
However, Ecuador emphasizes that its actions were necessary to arrest whoever was number two during the Government of former President Rafael Correa, who had a sentence against him and was on conditional release. Furthermore, the president argued that his forces proceeded after evaluating a risk of escape.
Chain reaction: Honduras and Colombia take measures after Ecuadorian incursion
In another regional response to the invasion of Ecuadorian forces at the Mexican Embassy, the Honduran Government announced the decision to call its charge d’affaires at the Quito Embassy, Clarivel Vallecillo, for consultations.
The Honduran Foreign Minister, Eduardo Enrique Reina, explained the decision “as a clear message to promote respect for International Law in the face of the violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961,” through a message on his X account. .
Reina also stressed that the government of leftist Xiomara Castro is taking “the necessary steps to support Mexico’s actions before the UN and the International Court of Justice.”
While the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, even compared Ecuador’s position with that of Israel: “they are shaking hands in the competition for barbarism,” he indicated.
Within the framework of the Celac meeting, Petro affirmed that both nations have broken the human rights regime.
“Ecuador and Israel are practically shaking hands in the competition for barbarism (…) it is not comparable, but it has to do with the same thing: barbarism,” explained Petro, who invited both nations to “deepen the inter-American system of human rights”.
Just before the international meeting, the Colombian president also announced the suspension of a binational cabinet meeting between his Government and that of Daniel Noboa, after the Ecuadorian head of state declared that “he does not regret anything” during a televised interview. .
Former Bolivian President Evo Morales “welcomed” Petro’s decision.
“We welcome President Gustavo Petro’s decision to suspend the bilateral cabinet between his country and Ecuador, as a response to the serious attack against the Mexican Embassy,” said the former president, one of the political figures who have enjoyed the tradition of Mexican asylum. .
Although not present at the same meeting, the president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, joined the rejection of his colleagues in the region for the actions of the Noboa Government.
“Nicaragua reaffirms its condemnation, denunciation, rejection and repudiation of the crime committed by the Government of Ecuador, a neo-fascist, neo-colonialist act of imperial dictation, against the sovereignty and national dignity of the brother people and Government of Mexico,” he read from virtuality. the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister, Denis Moncada Colindres, a message written by Ortega.
The Central American president also pointed out that Ecuador has become a “transgressive government” that “responds to imperial interests.” Ortega confirmed that his Government will also support Mexico in its lawsuit before the International Court of Justice.
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2024-04-19 12:42:20
