Mexico Cuts Ties with Ecuador After Police Storm Mexican Embassy
In a dramatic turn of events, Mexico has officially severed ties with Ecuador following a bold move by Ecuadorian police to storm the Mexican embassy in Quito and arrest former Ecuadorian Vice-President Jorge Glas.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador condemned the action as a “flagrant violation of international law”, accusing Ecuadorian authorities of forcibly entering the embassy. Glas had sought refuge in the embassy last December after facing corruption charges in Ecuador.
Glas, who served as Ecuador’s vice-president from 2013 to 2017, has been embroiled in corruption scandals that led to his removal from office and subsequent imprisonment. He was initially sentenced to six years in jail for his involvement in corruption linked to the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.
Despite being released from prison in November, Glas faced new corruption allegations prompting Ecuador to issue another arrest warrant, prompting his move to seek asylum in the Mexican embassy.
Following a thorough analysis of the situation, Mexico granted Glas political asylum, a decision vehemently opposed by Ecuador, which deemed it illegal. Ecuadorian authorities swiftly arrested Glas within the embassy premises, leading to a diplomatic crisis between the two nations.
Photographs captured the tense scene as Ecuadorian police breached the embassy’s security measures to apprehend Glas, leading Mexico to immediately suspend diplomatic ties in response to the incident.
The escalation of tensions between Mexico and Ecuador was further fueled by remarks made by President Obrador, which Ecuador deemed “unfortunate”, resulting in Ecuador declaring the Mexican ambassador persona non grata and ordering her expulsion from the country.
The clash between the two nations underscores the complex political landscape in Latin America and the challenges faced by individuals caught in the crossfire of corruption and power struggles.
