QUITO, EC – A diplomatic crisis has unfolded between Mexico and Ecuador, following the arrest of former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador severed ties with the South American nation on Friday, in response to the Ecuadorian police’s forceful entry into the Mexican embassy in Quito, where Glas had been residing since December.
Glas, who had sought political asylum in the embassy after being indicted on corruption charges, was arrested on Friday evening. The raid on the embassy was met with shock and concern by Mexican officials. Roberto Canseco, the head of the Mexican consular section in Quito, expressed his worry for Glas’ safety and condemned the breach as a violation of international norms.
Alicia Bárcena, Mexico’s secretary of foreign relations, reported on social media that several diplomats were injured during the raid. She announced Mexico’s intention to take the case to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, accusing Ecuador of violating international law. Bárcena also recalled Mexican diplomats from Ecuador.
Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld defended the decision to enter the embassy, stating that it was made by President Daniel Noboa due to Glas’ “imminent flight risk”. She argued that granting asylum to individuals convicted of common crimes was not legal.
Glas is currently under investigation for alleged irregularities during his management of reconstruction efforts following a powerful earthquake in 2016. He has previously been convicted of bribery and corruption charges in separate cases.
The incident has drawn international attention, with the Organization of American States reminding Ecuador and Mexico of their obligation to uphold international law. The Spanish foreign ministry and the U.S. State Department have also condemned the raid, citing it as a violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Following his arrest, Glas was transported to a maximum-security prison in the port city of Guayaquil. His attorney, Sonia Vera, reported that Glas was physically assaulted during the arrest and is now working on filing a habeas corpus petition.