Ecuadorian President says ordered storming of Mexican Embassy
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Ecuador's President said that he took this decision to protect national security, the rule of law, and the dignity of the people, who reject any impunity for criminals, corrupt officials, and narco-terrorists.
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President Daniel Noboa arrives for an event with youths in El Quinche, Ecuador, on Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP)
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa announced that he ordered storming the Mexican embassy in Quito to protect national security.
"I have made exceptional decisions to protect national security, the rule of law, and the dignity of the people, who reject any impunity for criminals, corrupt officials, and narco-terrorists. My duty is to carry out the decisions of justice, and we could not allow criminals convicted of serious acts to seek asylum," Noboa announced in a statement on April 8.
Ecuador's storming of the Mexican embassy was publicly condemned by at least 20 countries, and numerous international organizations, as well as the UN.
Read more: Mexico evacuates Ecuador embassy, closes indefinitely
What happened?
On the night of April 5 to 6, Ecuadorian police stormed the Mexican embassy in Quito using armed vehicles to arrest former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas.
The government of Mexico granted political asylum to former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas, who took refuge at the Embassy of Mexico in Quito. The government of Ecuador labeled the embassy's decision an "illicit act" and dismissed the idea of providing safe passage for Glas to leave, and called Mexico's ambassador in Quito, Raquel Serur, persona non grata.
Formerly, on Friday, April 5, Ecuador noted that according to international conventions, "it is not legal to grant asylum to people convicted or prosecuted for common crimes and by competent ordinary courts."
Mexico had complained of "harassment" after the Ecuadorian government increased police presence outside the Mexican embassy, yet the two countries had still ruled out breaking diplomatic ties. Regarding the police presence surrounding the Mexican embassy in Quito, Mexico's President said on April 5 during his daily address, "This is what fascists are like."
Glas, who held a position in the administration of leftist Rafael Correa from 2013 to 2017, sought shelter in the Mexican embassy in December last year following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him on charges of corruption.
Mexico suspended diplomatic relations with Ecuador
"Ecuadorian police forcibly entered our embassy and detained the former [Ecuadorian] Vice President of that country, who was a refugee and seeking asylum due to the persecution and harassment he is facing," Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, President of Mexico, said in a post on X on April 6.
According to the President's post, Alicia Bárcena, Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Affairs informed him of this "flagrant violation of international law and Mexico's sovereignty," an act which prompted the President to announce that he "instructed our Foreign Minister to issue a statement on this authoritarian act, proceed legally and immediately declare the suspension of diplomatic relations with the government of Ecuador."
