Venezuela closes Ecuador embassy after raid on Mexican mission

— Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ordered the closure of his country’s embassy and consulates in Ecuador on Tuesday in solidarity with Mexico in its protest over a raid by Ecuadorian authorities on the Mexican embassy in Quito.

Maduro and other presidents participating in a virtual meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States expressed their support for Mexico’s request to have the United Nations suspend Ecuador from the world body over the April 5 raid. But Maduro was the only one to announce the recall of a diplomatic mission.

“The condemnation has been unanimous, total, absolute,” Maduro said, referring to the excoriation Ecuador’s move has drawn. “No one today in this world comes out to defend this barbaric act.”

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa had ordered authorities to raid the Mexican diplomatic outpost to arrest the country’s former Vice

President Jorge Glas, a convicted criminal and fugitive who was holed up at the embassy since December. Mexico granted him asylum hours before the raid.

The extraordinarily unusual use of force drew immediate condemnation from governments around the world, because diplomatic premises are considered foreign soil and “inviolable” under the Vienna treaties.

Noboa, who did not participate in Tuesday’s meeting, said last week that he authorized the raid “to protect national security.” His government has argued that Glas was wanted for his criminal convictions for corruption and not political reasons and has accused Mexico of violating the Vienna treaties by granting him asylum.

Mexico severed diplomatic relations with Ecuador immediately after the raid and recalled its diplomatic mission. It hoped to use the CELAC meeting to rally a unified front for its case both at the U.N. and before the International Court of Justice.