Former Ecuadorian vice president Jorge Glas “was kidnapped”, says his lawyer

Former Ecuadorian vice president Jorge Glas “he was kidnapped” in the armed attack on the embassy of Mexico in Quitobut still benefits from asylum status, his lawyer, Sonia Vera, told AFP this Monday.

On Friday night, uniformed Ecuadorian police officers invaded the mexican embassywhere glass He had been in an asylum situation since December.

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The legal team hopes that “reestablish the diplomatic asylum status of George glass. He is still in this condition simply because he was kidnapped by the Ecuadorian government”, said Vera.

The former vice president was removed from the diplomatic legation and placed under arrest for corruption accusationsaccusations that he emphatically denies.

As glass yet “has the status of political asylum of the mexican government (…) we ask that it be returned to the nearest Mexican embassy in Ecuador”, he said.

Former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas escorted by members of the Special Penitentiary Action Group (GEAP) during his arrival at the La Roca maximum security prison in Guayaquil on April 6, 2024. (Photo: Ecuadorian Police / AFP) (DISPOSITION/)

In the opinion of Verathe way out of the situation glass It depends on the intervention of the international community.

Mexico broke off relations with Ecuador and withdrew all its diplomatic staff from the country, but glass remains detained. The Mexican government has already announced that it will take the case to International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The police operation on the embassy, ​​unprecedented in recent history, was condemned by numerous countries on the American continent, Spain, Belgium and the European Unionas well as organizations such as UN and the OAS.

Vera told AFP that glass “It is at serious risk, at imminent risk, in the hands of the State. This is a kidnapping and I think they could kill him at any moment.”

TO KNOW MORE: 5 keys to understanding Mexico’s diplomatic crisis with Ecuador after the police raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito

Lawyers ask for access

The former vice president “It is totally isolated and incommunicado”and therefore the legal team led by Vera formally requestedto the “immediate restoration of communication channels”, allowing you access to your lawyers.

He also requested access “from independent observers” verify the physical and psychological integrity of glassas well as a visit from a doctor designated by your family to check your health status.

The military invasion of the embassy Mexico It caused a diplomatic storm across the continent, due to the unusual gravity of what happened.

In Vera’s opinion, “This goes beyond whether you like him or not. George glassor whether you are from the right or the left (…) What Ecuadorian state It is a brutal attack on the basic principles of international law”.

“Hence the rejection. Currently the Ecuador “It is an international pariah state.”he added.

The Ecuadorian authorities justified the attack on mexican embassy due to the risk of starting glass of Ecuadorian territoryand added that asylum could not be granted to people accused of common crimes.

He Caracas Agreementwhich regulates diplomatic asylum, “establishes that although a person convicted of common crimes cannot be a beneficiary of diplomatic asylum, it is state of isolation who qualifies whether it exists or not political persecution“, said the lawyer.

In the view of Vera, “that’s what’s happening. Who decides whether or not there is political persecution is the state of isolationSanta territorial statewho has the obligation to grant the respective safe conduct”to allow an asylum seeker to leave the country.

At the chaotic situationMexican diplomats managed to leave Ecuador through the intervention of their counterparts Germany, Panama, Cuba and Honduraswho accompanied them to the airport Quito to verify that its integrity is respected.

Source: Elcomercio