In response to Mexico City granting asylum to Ecuador’s former vice president, Jorge Glas, at its embassy in Quito, Ecuador filed a legal action against Mexico at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The lawsuit was submitted on April 29 and accused Mexico of violating international obligations by providing asylum to Glas.
According to the Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mexico’s actions were a breach of international law and interference in Ecuador’s internal affairs. The ICJ is the world’s leading court for resolving legal disputes between countries over alleged violations of international law. Its decisions are binding, but enforcement is dependent on the compliance of the parties involved.
In an attempt to arrest Glas, Ecuadorian police raided the Mexican embassy in Quito on April 5. After being sentenced to prison in Ecuador for corruption linked to Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction company, and later released in November 2022, Glas sought asylum at the Mexican embassy after facing a new arrest warrant for embezzlement of earthquake relief funds.
Following the police raid, Mexico City severed diplomatic ties with Quito and filed a counter-lawsuit against Ecuador at the ICJ. The trial is scheduled to commence on April 30. Many countries and organizations, including the United States, European Union, and United Nations, have criticized Ecuador for violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa defended the raid as necessary due to concerns that Glas could evade justice. Despite receiving medical treatment after being hospitalized following a hunger strike, Glas was returned to prison to face pending legal charges.
