Ecuador storms Mexican embassy
Embassies have often been attacked and taken over, but almost never by forces of the host country, which is widely seen as a violation of the “rule of inviolability,” Article 29 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic relations.
Glas took refuge in the embassy last December after Ecuador issued an arrest warrant against him for alleged corruption. Glas's lawyer said he was innocent.
He has now been .own under police guard to the city of Guayaquil, and is expected to await trial in a maximum security prison.
Glas served as Ecuador's vice-president between 2013 and 2017. He was relieved of his duties because of mounting corruption allegations against him.
Later that year he was sentenced to six years in jail in connection with corruption at the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. Prosecutors said he took $13.5 million in bribes.
He was released from prison in November, but Ecuadorian authorities then issued another arrest warrant alleging further allegations of corruption, triggering Glas to seek refuge in the Mexican embassy.
On Friday, Mexico said it had granted Glas political asylum “after a thorough analysis” of the situation - an action Ecuador viewed as illegal.
“Ecuador is a sovereign nation and we are not going to allow any criminal to stay free,” Ecuador's Presidency said in a statement.
It said Glas, who had been “sentenced to imprisonment by the Ecuadoran justice system,” had been arrested and “placed under the orders of the competent authorities.”
Photographs from the scene show police scaling a wall and metal fence at the embassy's closed entrance.
Obrador, writing on X, said he had ordered the immediate suspension of diplomatic ties as a result.
“Police from Ecuador forcibly entered our embassy and detained the former vice-president of that country who was a refugee and processing asylum due to the persecution and harassment he faces.
“This is a .agrant violation of international law and the sovereignty of Mexico.”
Hours later, Nicaragua also cut off diplomatic ties with
Ecuador as a result of the “unusual and reprehensible action,” a government statement quoted by AFP said.
The American government also had harsh words about the embassy raid.
“The United States condemns any violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and takes very seriously the obligation of host countries under international law to respect the inviolability of diplomatic missions,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said following the attack.
A number of diplomats were injured in the incident, according to Alicia Bárcena, Mexico's secretary of foreign relations.
Tension between Mexico and Ecuador has been mounting in recent days. On Wednesday, Obrador made remarks, considered “unfortunate” by Ecuador, about violence during last year's election - won by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa.
The following day Ecuador declared the Mexican ambassador a persona non grata and said she should leave the country.