Ecuador raid on Mexican embassy sparks diplomatic crisis

QUITO — Ecuador has faced criticism across Latin America after its security forces stormed the Mexican embassy in Quito to arrest graft-accused former vice-president Jorge Glas, who had been granted political asylum there.

Special forces equipped with a battering ram surrounded the embassy on Friday, and at least one agent scaled the walls, in an almost unheard-of raid on diplomatic premises, Agence France-Presse reported.

Earlier that day, the Ecuadorian government warned it would not permit Glas to leave the country by way of political asylum. Police deployment started in the afternoon around the Mexican embassy, local media reported.

This occurred one day after the Ecuadorian government declared Mexican Ambassador to Ecuador Raquel Serur Smeke "persona non grata" following days of tension between the two countries.

The incident prompted Mexico to quickly sever diplomatic ties with Ecuador.

"This is a flagrant violation of international law and the sovereignty of Mexico," President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wrote on X.

Nicaragua followed suit, citing the "unusual and reprehensible action" of the embassy raid.

Nicaragua withdrew its ambassador from Quito in 2020. With this statement on what happened on Friday at the Mexican embassy, it formalized "the rupture of all diplomatic relations".

Searing rebukes poured in from regional governments across the political spectrum, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Peru and Venezuela.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was "alarmed" by the raid and urged both sides to show moderation in resolving the dispute, his spokesman said.

Lopez Obrador said authorities "forcibly entered" the building to arrest Glas, who is wanted on corruption charges and had been at the embassy since December before being granted asylum on Friday.

The embassy in Quito remained surrounded by police officers on Saturday, and the Mexican flag had been taken down.

Agencies - Xinhua