Mexico breaks diplomatic relations with Ecuador after police raid its embassy in Quito

The chancellor of MexicoAlicia Bárcena, announced on Friday night the immediate rupture of diplomatic relations with Ecuadorafter Ecuadorian police raided the Mexican Embassy in Quito and detained the former vice president Jorge Glasto whom Mexico granted political asylum.

“In consultations with the president. López Obrador“In light of the flagrant violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the injuries suffered by Mexican diplomatic personnel in Ecuador, Mexico announces the immediate severance of diplomatic relations with Ecuador,” he said. Bárcena on social network X.

LOOK: Ecuador: police invade Mexican embassy and arrest former vice president Jorge Glas

Before the announcement, the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), had said that he ordered his foreign minister to immediately declare the suspension of diplomatic relations with the government of Ecuador.

“He just informed me Alicia Bárcenaour Secretary of Foreign Affairs, that the Ecuadorian police forcefully entered our embassy and detained the former vice-president of that country who was a refugee and was processing asylum due to the persecution and harassment he faces”, wrote AMLO on the social network. x.

“This is a flagrant violation of international law and the sovereignty of Mexicofor which I have instructed our Chancellor to issue a statement on this authoritative fact, proceed legally and immediately declare the suspension of diplomatic relations with the government of Ecuador” he added.

The authorities of Ecuador They arrested the former vice president on Friday Jorge Glaswho had been a refugee since December at the Mexican embassy in Quito evading an arrest warrant for alleged corruption, reported the Presidency’s Communication Secretariat.

“The National Government informs citizens that Jorge Glas Espinel, sentenced to prison by Ecuadorian justice, was arrested this evening and placed under the orders of the competent authorities,” the ministry said in a statement.

Images from local media showed uniformed personnel entering the legation, located in the north of Quitoand which was guarded externally by police and military, to detain Glas, to whom Mexico granted asylum this Friday.

Members of an elite corps of the Ecuadorian Police invade the Mexican Embassy to arrest former vice president Jorge Glas, convicted of corruption. (EFE/ José Jácome). (José Jacome/)

The granting of asylum has strained bilateral relations following Quito’s decision on Thursday to expel the Mexican ambassador Raquel Serur declaring his persona non grata after statements by President AAndrés Manuel López Obrador about political violence in Ecuador.

The Communications department indicated that “Every embassy has a single purpose: to serve as a diplomatic space with the aim of strengthening relations between countries.”

He added that “No criminal can be considered politically persecuted. Jorge Glas was sentenced with an enforceable sentence and had an arrest warrant issued by the competent authorities.”

glassformer vice president of former socialist president Rafael Correa (2007-2017), He is accused of embezzling public funds intended for rebuilding coastal cities after a devastating earthquake in 2016.

Friday, Ecuador described as “illegal” the asylum granted by Mexico and insisted that he will not grant the former official safe passage to leave the country.

Source: Elcomercio