The Police in Ecuador Pay the Consequences: Mexico Breaks Diplomatic Relations
Mexico has broken diplomatic relations with Ecuador after the police forcefully entered the Mexican embassy in Quito. The reason behind this intrusion was to arrest a former Ecuadorian vice president who had sought political asylum there after being accused of corruption.
This unusual move sparked the rejection of governments and diplomats in the region. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico broke his silence on the matter through his social media account, stating that the violation of international law and Mexico’s sovereignty prompted the decision to suspend diplomatic relations with Ecuador.
The police’s actions to arrest Jorge Glas, who had been residing in the embassy since December, raised concerns about the sanctity of diplomatic missions. These spaces are considered “inviolable” under the Vienna Convention, and local law enforcement cannot enter without the ambassador’s permission.
While the capture of Jorge Glas took place without incident, the repercussions of Ecuador’s actions were swift. Several Latin American governments expressed their condemnation of the police incursion. The Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, emphasized the breach of the Vienna Convention and Mexico’s sovereignty, calling the event intolerable to the international community.
In solidarity with Mexico, other leaders in the region, such as the president of Honduras Xiomara Castro and the Bolivia’s President Luis Arce, condemned Ecuador’s actions. They underscored the unprecedented nature of the violation of asylum rights and called for international condemnation of Ecuador’s actions.
Given the escalating diplomatic crisis, some countries took definitive action. The Peruvian Foreign Ministry rejected any breach of the Vienna Convention, while Venezuela and Nicaragua severed diplomatic ties with Ecuador in support of Mexico.
President López Obrador expressed gratitude for the solidarity shown by various nations and clarified that the issue was with the Ecuadorian government, not the Ecuadorian people. As tensions continue to rise, the repercussions of Ecuador’s actions are being felt across the region.
