2024 raid on the Mexican embassy in Ecuador

raid on 5 April 2024

On 5 April 2024, the Mexican embassy in Quito, Ecuador, was raided by Ecuadorian police and military forces. Mexico and many other countries criticized the raid as a violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1954 Caracas Convention on Diplomatic Asylum.[1]

Mexican embassy in Quito where the incident took place

The raid was carried out to arrest the former Vice President of Ecuador, Jorge Glas, who had been sentenced for corruption and had been living in the embassy since 17 December 2023.[2] A few hours before the attack, he had given political asylum.[1]

The raid led Mexico ending its relations with Ecuador.[3] The following day, Nicaragua also ended their relations with Ecuador, showing their support to Mexico.[3][4]

A few days before the attack, the President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, talked about Luisa González, the presidential candidate of the pro-Rafael Correa Citizen Revolution Movement in a press conference. He said how she had a lead in polling for the 2023 Ecuadorian general election and how after the murder of Fernando Villavicencio her polling numbers had dropped, saying that the assassination had affected the election results.[5] After the comments, Ecuadorian officials declared the Mexican ambassador to Ecuador as a persona non grata.[6][7]

After the raid, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa supported the raid and said it was a matter of national security.[8] He also wished to fix any relations with Mexico, but said that he would not support sending former Vice President Glas to Mexico.[3] Mexico also announced plans to take Ecuador to the International Court of Justice for violations of international law.[9]

References change

  1. 1.0 1.1 "México concede asilo político a exvicepresidente ecuatoriano" [Mexico grants political asylum to Ecuadorian ex-vice president]. DW Español (in Spanish). 5 April 2024. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  2. "Policía saca a Jorge Glas de la Embajada de México en Quito" [Police remove Jorge Glas from the Mexican Embassy in Quito]. El Universo (in Spanish). 6 April 2024. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Gutiérrez, Fidel; Chen, Heather; Shortell, David (6 April 2024). "'Outrage against international law': Mexico breaks diplomatic ties with Ecuador over embassy raid". CNN. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  4. "Nicaragua kutter forbindelsen med Ecuador etter omstridt ambassadeaksjon" [Nicaragua cuts ties with Ecuador after disputed embassy action]. Adresseavisen (in Norwegian). 6 April 2024. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  5. "Amid diplomatic spat, Mexico grants former Ecuadorian vice president asylum". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  6. "Esto fue lo que dijo el presidente López Obrador que molestó a Daniel Noboa" [This is what President López Obrador said that annoyed Daniel Noboa]. Primicias (in Spanish). 4 April 2024. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  7. "Ecuador declara persona 'non grata' a embajadora de México tras declaración de AMLO" [Ecuador declares Mexico's ambassador persona non grata after AMLO's statement]. Forbes México (in Spanish). 4 April 2024. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  8. "Ecuadorians wanted an action man. President Noboa has fulfilled that role — embassy raid included". Associated Press. 9 April 2024. Archived from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  9. "México rompe relaciones con Ecuador tras irrupción policial en Embajada mexicana en Quito" [Mexico breaks relations with Ecuador after police raid on the Mexican Embassy in Quito]. Xinhua Español (in Spanish). 6 April 2024. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.