Latin American nations, including Brazil, have expressed solidarity with Mexico after its embassy in Ecuador was raided to arrest Jorge Glas, a controversial politician granted asylum by Mexico. The late-night seizure of Glas, Ecuador's former vice president, on graft charges led Mexico City to suspend relations with Quito. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's government condemned the arrest as authoritarian and a breach of international law and Mexico's sovereignty. Ecuador argued that asylum protections were illegal due to the corruption charges against Glas. However, under international law, embassies are considered the sovereign territory of the country they represent.
Governments across Latin America, including Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Uruguay, criticized Glas's arrest. Glas, who had been in the embassy since December, was taken by police convoy to the airport in Quito and then flown to a jail in Guayaquil. Photos on social media showed what appeared to be armed police or soldiers scaling the embassy's wall, though Reuters could not immediately confirm their authenticity.
Brazil condemned Ecuador's actions as a clear violation of international norms, emphasizing its solidarity with Mexico. The U.S. State Department also condemned the violation of diplomatic mission conventions and encouraged both countries to resolve their differences according to international norms.
Mexico's top diplomat expressed shock at Ecuador's incursion into the embassy, noting that some embassy personnel were injured. She stated that Glas was granted asylum after a thorough analysis of the accusations against him. Mexico announced it would file a complaint with the UN's International Court of Justice for grave violations of international law.
The Organization of American States called for dialogue to resolve the dispute and emphasized the need for strict compliance with international treaties. Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated that Latin America must uphold international law. Colombia also announced its intention to seek human rights legal protections for Glas.
Glas, who has been convicted twice for corruption, had sought asylum in Mexico. Ecuadorean authorities had unsuccessfully sought permission from Mexico to enter the embassy and arrest him. In 2017, Glas was sentenced to six years in prison for taking bribes from Odebrecht in exchange for government contracts. He has claimed to be a victim of political persecution, which Ecuador's government denies.