Mexico has announced its intention to lodge a formal complaint against Ecuador at the International Court of Justice on Monday, following the controversial raid on its embassy in Quito, which elicited widespread international condemnation.
The diplomatic standoff escalated further as Mexican diplomatic personnel departed Ecuador on Sunday, marking the culmination of severed ties between the two nations after Ecuadorian security forces forcibly entered the embassy late Friday to apprehend a former vice president seeking asylum.
Speaking at an event to welcome the returning diplomats, Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena confirmed Mexico’s resolve to pursue legal action, stating, “Starting tomorrow, we are going to the ICJ to present this regrettable case. We believe that we can swiftly attain a favorable outcome.”
The raid drew sharp rebukes from Spain, the European Union, the United Nations, and various Latin American countries, who criticized Quito’s actions in storming the embassy to detain former Ecuadorian vice president Jorge Glas, who had sought refuge there amid allegations of corruption.
Mexico’s decision to grant Glas political asylum further exacerbated tensions, leading to Ecuador’s expulsion of the Mexican ambassador, prompting the unprecedented breach of diplomatic premises by Ecuadorian special forces.
Following the raid, Mexican diplomatic personnel and their families were airlifted out of Ecuador on a commercial flight, accompanied by representatives from several nations and organizations, including Germany, Panama, Cuba, Honduras, and the president of the Ecuador-Mexico Chamber.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador condemned the incursion as a violation of sovereignty, while denouncing the physical assault on head of mission Roberto Canseco during the raid.
The international community rallied in solidarity with Mexico, with governments across the political spectrum, including Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela, expressing condemnation and withdrawing diplomatic envoys.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed alarm over the incident, with Spain, Germany, and the EU echoing concerns and reaffirming the inviolability of diplomatic missions under the Vienna Convention.
The diplomatic rift was further fueled by recent remarks from Lopez Obrador, drawing parallels between election violence in Ecuador and crime in Mexico, which were deemed offensive by the Ecuadorian government.
As tensions persist, the episode underscores the importance of upholding diplomatic norms and safeguarding international order to foster cooperation and trust among nations.
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