UN Chief 'alarmed' by breach of Mexican embassy in Ecuador
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UN Secretary-General expresses alarm over Ecuadoran police raid on Mexico's embassy in Quito, emphasizing the imperative of upholding diplomatic compounds' inviolability.
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United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres addresses a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on March 18, 2024, at UN headquarters. (AP)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said the Secretary-General was "Alarmed" by Ecuadoran police raiding Mexico's embassy in Quito, stressing the importance of maintaining the inviolability of diplomatic compounds.
The spokesperson said that the inviolability of embassies must be respected "in all cases, in accordance with international law," reaffirming the need for Ecuador and Mexico to "solve their differences through peaceful means."
According to Dujarric, "The secretary-general stresses that violations of this principle jeopardize the pursuit of normal international relations, which are critical for the advancement of cooperation between states."
Mexico suspends diplomatic ties with Ecuador after embassy breach
"Ecuadorian police forcibly entered our embassy and detained the former Vice President of that country [Ecuador], who was a refugee and seeking asylum due to the persecution and harassment he is facing," said Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, President of Mexico, in a post on X.
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."
Me acaba de informar Alicia Bárcena, nuestra secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores que policías de Ecuador entraron por la fuerza a nuestra embajada y se llevaron detenido al exvicepresidente de ese país quien se encontraba refugiado y tramitando asilo por la persecución y el acoso…
— Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) April 6, 2024
Read more: Nicaragua cuts Ecuador ties; Latin American states rally around Mexico
