Mexico Thanks Venezuela, Honduras for Actions to Protest Ecuador Embassy Raid

Facts

• Mexico's Pres. Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressed on Wednesday his gratitude to Honduras and Venezuela for their latest diplomatic decisions to protest the raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito earlier this month.¹
• Venezuela announced the closure of its embassy and consulates in Ecuador the previous day. Pres. Nicolás Maduro added that diplomats were ordered to leave the country.²
• Additionally, Honduras has recalled its top diplomat in Quito for consultations and stressed its support for the case Mexico filed with the International Court of Justice against Ecuador.³
• This comes as the regional Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) held a virtual meeting on Tuesday. Ecuadorian Pres. Daniel Noboa did not attend the summit.⁴
• Mexico cut all relations with Ecuador in retaliation to the April 5 embassy arrest of a former Ecuadorian vice president who sheltered there since December. Diplomatic spaces and staff are considered off-limits for unauthorized law enforcement operations under international law.⁵
• Last week, an Ecuadorian court declared illegal the arrest of Jorge Glas on an embezzlement charge, as both his rights and national regulations on the status of diplomatic missions were violated. However, his habeas corpus request was denied.⁶

Sources: ¹Plenglish, ²Chinadaily.com.cn, ³Reuters, ⁴NPR Online News, ⁵Al Jazeera and ⁶EL PAÍS English.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Associated Press. It's no wonder such widespread outrage erupted over this incident. Ecuador has breached long-established rules on diplomatic immunity with its forces raiding Mexico's embassy in Quito and even injuring staff within the premises. Additionally, this arrest violates the regional 1954 Convention on Diplomatic Asylum.
• Narrative B, as provided by CuencaHighLife. Though some may claim that Ecuador has violated international law with this embassy raid and arrest, it's effectively the other way around. It was Mexico that abused its immunities and privileges to illegitimately grant political asylum and provide refuge to a convicted criminal. The actions taken in Quito were entirely justified.