The police assault on the Mexican embassy to arrest a former vice president wanted by justice continues to cause shock around the world. Mexican embassy and consulate staff have returned to Mexico. Internationally, Ecuador is now very isolated, a risk that President Noboa was clearly willing to take.
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With our correspondent in Ecuador, Éric Samson
From the European Union to the United Nations and the Organization of American States (OAS), Ecuador faces unanimous condemnation after police stormed the Mexican embassy on Friday to arrest former vice president Jorge Glas, who had taken refuge there. Even two close countries, such as the United States and Argentina, did not support the violation of the sacrosanct inviolability of embassies.
For political scientist Gustavo Isch, President Daniel Noboa has opened Pandora's box. “It is terrible because, at an international level, it takes us back to when they saw Ecuador as a banana republic, a country where you cannot invest safely because the conditions of legal security are not met, because at any given situation, depending on your interests , the political decision of the current ruler can change the rules of the game,” he says.
The Mexican diplomatic personnel stationed in Quito left Ecuador on Sunday. On Monday, Mexico announced its intention to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest judicial body of the United Nations.
popular support
While international condemnation is strong, the same cannot be said within the country, according to Colonel Mario Pazmiño, political analyst and former intelligence chief of the Ecuadorian armed forces. “I believe that the population supports the President's decision and we will see it in the popular consultation on security on April 21 [que propone endurecer la legislación contra la delincuencia y autorizar la extradición de traficantes, nota de la redacción]”, he emphasizes. “I think that all Ecuadorians are tired of impunity, they are tired of these criminals making fun of Ecuadorians by relying on certain international conventions, especially regarding political asylum.”
The truth is that President Noboa has taken a great risk to appear strong, win the next referendum and perhaps be re-elected next year.
The state of emergency ended last night in Ecuador, as did the mandatory curfew in the most violent areas. Thanks to the declaration of internal armed conflict last January, the military will continue to circulate through the streets of the country.
