Mexico and Ecuador Declare 'Severance of Diplomatic Relations'... "Forced Embassy Entry, Sovereignty Violation"

by Kwon Hyeonji

Published 06 Apr.2024 16:59(KST)

Andr?s Manuel L?pez Obrador, the President of Mexico, declared the severance of diplomatic relations with Ecuador on the 5th (local time). This measure was taken after local police forcibly entered the Mexican embassy in Ecuador and arrested a former Ecuadorian vice president who had sought asylum in Mexico.

According to AP and AFP news agencies, President L?pez Obrador stated on X (formerly Twitter) that "Ecuadorian police forcibly entered our embassy and detained the former vice president of that country who was undergoing asylum procedures due to persecution," condemning it as "a clear violation of international law and Mexico's sovereignty." He also announced that he had instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to suspend diplomatic relations with Ecuador.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Alicia Barcena, Mexico's Foreign Minister, also said on X, "After consulting with President L?pez Obrador and considering the clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the injuries sustained by Mexican diplomats in Ecuador during this process, Mexico declares the immediate severance of diplomatic relations with Ecuador."

Earlier, Ecuadorian police broke down the entrance of the Mexican embassy in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, and arrested Jorge Glas, the former vice president of Ecuador, who had been staying there since December last year. Glas served as vice president from 2013 to 2018 under the left-leaning administrations of Rafael Correa and Len?n Moreno. He reportedly sought refuge in the Mexican embassy after facing arrest on charges including embezzlement for illegally diverting funds intended for earthquake recovery in Manab? province in 2016.

Ecuador requested Mexico to extradite former Vice President Glas, but President L?pez Obrador maintained that Glas had been politically persecuted, escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

The Ecuadorian presidential office confirmed the arrest of former Vice President Glas in a statement, emphasizing that "Ecuador is a sovereign nation and will not allow any criminal to remain free." It also claimed that "(Mexico's provision of) shelter to the former vice president and granting asylum contrary to the usual legal framework was an abuse of the diplomatic immunity granted to diplomatic missions."

AP reported that Ecuador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of the Interior have not yet responded to inquiries regarding Mexico's declaration of severing diplomatic relations.