Mexico’s president says country will break diplomatic ties with Ecuador after police raid embassy to arrest former VP
Mexico is dissolving diplomatic ties with Ecuador after a police raid of the Mexican embassy in the capital Quito that ended with the arrest of a political dissident.
Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced the step early Saturday, after being notified about the embassy blitz by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alicia Bárcena.
In a post to X, López Obrador said Ecuadorian authorities “forcibly entered our embassy and detained the former vice president of that country,” Jorge Glas.
Glas lived in the Mexican embassy since December, where he was awaiting a decision on his request for asylum.
“This is a flagrant violation of international law and the sovereignty of Mexico, which is why I have instructed our chancellor to issue a statement regarding this authoritarian act, proceed legally and immediately declare the suspension of diplomatic relations” between the two nations, López Obrador said in the post.
Several staffers inside the embassy were reported injured during the raid.
Glas, Ecuador‘s most wanted man, sought political asylum from Mexico after he was indicted and then convicted on corruption and bribery charges.
Glas is still under investigation by Ecuadorian authorities, with additional criminal charges likely.
Roberto Canseco, head of the Mexican consulate in Quito, told local media he fears for Glas’ safety.
“I am very worried because they could kill him,” Canseco said, according to reports. “There is no basis to do this, this is totally outside the norm.”
In a statement, Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa said his is “a sovereign nation” that doesn’t “allow any criminal to stay free.”
Bárcena in a separate post on X accused Ecuador of violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and confirmed Mexico will be calling on the International Court of Justice “to denounce Ecuador’s responsibility for violations of international law.”
The raid follows on the heels of López Obrador’s declaration that Noboa’s election last fall was “very unfortunate.” Afterward, Ecuadorian officials proclaimed the Mexican ambassador persona non grata.
