Diplomatic personnel return to Mexico, amid international criticism of Ecuador

“You can imagine what it is like to leave your life; a life that you had planned in a country and have 48 hours to leave it (…) I want to recognize all of them who defended, risking their own physical integrity, our embassy in Quito,” Bárcena mentioned in a press conference during the diplomats' reception.

There were 18 people, including Mexican diplomatic personnel and their families, who boarded a commercial flight from Quito to Mexico City, just two days after the invasion of Ecuadorian forces at the Mexican Embassy.

Not even the dictator Pinochet ever dared to violate the Mexican Embassy

The returnees were accompanied by personnel sent from the Embassies of allied countries such as Germany, Panama, Cuba and Honduras, who had the objective of ensuring the well-being of the Mexicans during their departure from Ecuadorian territory.

In addition to the reception from her colleagues, the Mexican Foreign Minister highlighted the unusual nature of the situation, experienced within the diplomatic representation in Ecuador, stating that “not even the dictator (Augusto) Pinochet ever dared to violate the Mexican Embassy.”

Bárcena also confirmed that the Mexican Government will go to the International Court of Justice on April 8, with the task of formalizing the complaint against Ecuador, whom it accuses of violating International Law by violating the sovereignty of a diplomatic representation, one of the “sacred rights” of members of the international community.

“Starting tomorrow we will be going to the International Court of Justice, where we will be presenting this sad case and of course we will go to all the regional and international multilateral forums that correspond so that this really, first of all, is condemned by the entire international community. “added Bárcena.

From Latin America to Europe, the international community asks Ecuador for explanations

The unprecedented Ecuadorian invasion of the Mexican Embassy in their country occurred on April 5, when members of the Police forcibly entered the vicinity of the Mexican representation, with the aim of arresting Jorge Glas, vice president during the presidential period. of Rafael Correa, who was in political asylum within the Embassy.

The Government of Daniel Noboa justified the actions of its armed forces by stating that Mexico was misusing the political asylum tool, since Glass faces charges of corruption within the Ecuadorian Justice scheme. However, there are many countries that have closed ranks around Mexico.

Through an official statement, the Spanish Foreign Ministry described the irruption of Ecuadorian forces as “a violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations of 1961.” In addition, Madrid called on both parties to “respect International Law” and resolve their differences peacefully.

On a larger scale in Europe, the highest representative of the diplomacy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, made explicit his condemnation of the “violation of the facilities of the Mexican Embassy in Quito” through a message on his social networks. Likewise, Borrell appealed to international legal guidelines to resolve the diplomatic conflict.

Already on the American continent, Bolivia has been one of the harshest nations regarding Ecuador's actions. The president of the country, Luis Arce, announced that his government called the Ecuadorian ambassador in the country, Mirian Esparza, to ask for explanations about Quito's controversial decision.

“We inform you that we have summoned our Bolivian ambassador (Segundina Flores) in Ecuador for this Monday. In addition, from the Foreign Ministry we have summoned the Ecuadorian ambassador (Mirian Esparza) in our country so that she can provide information about what happened,” Arce confirmed through his social networks.

The astonishment also reached Washington. And it was the spokesperson for the State Department, Matthew Miller, who was in charge of expressing the country's rejection of what happened: “The United States condemns any violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” he said, through a public statement, the 6 of April.

In addition, the body responsible for foreign relations of the United States issued a statement highlighting the relations that the American power has with Mexico and Ecuador and urged the two nations to “resolve their differences in accordance with international standards.”

18 Latin American states, the European Union, the United States and Canada are among the members of the international community that have expressed concern about what happened in Ecuador.

From progressive governments, such as those of Brazil and Venezuela, to the most extreme part of the right, such as those of Argentina, they have come together to express a general rejection of the invasion of the Mexican Embassy. El Salvador is one of the few countries in the region not to comment on the matter.

Jorge Glas is already in 'La Roca'

In the midst of the international agitation over what happened on April 5 inside the Mexican Embassy, ​​the Ecuadorian Government reported, a day later, that the former vice president was transferred to the maximum security prison 'La Roca', located in the city of Guayaquil. and that it was one of the penitentiary centers affected by the wave of criminal riots last year.

Glas had an arrest warrant on him for a controversial corruption case, referring to the reconstruction project in Manabí, a province highly damaged by the 2016 earthquake.

In addition, the former senior Correísta official had to return to Police custody to serve an eight-year prison sentence, after accumulating two more rulings for which he had not served time in prison. Glas has already been behind bars for five years.

With EFE, Reuters and local media