Diplomatic Breakup as Ecuadoran Cops Storm Mexican Embassy

Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador ordered an end to all diplomatic relations with Ecuador soon after police forces from that country stormed the Mexican Embassy.

COMUNICADO. “México rompe relaciones diplomáticas con Ecuador tras ataque a su embajada”.

Ante la brutal irrupción perpetrada por la policía de Ecuador a la embajada mexicana la noche del viernes 5 de abril, y de acuerdo a la instrucción del presidente Andrés Manuel López… pic.twitter.com/Zwg2jGAYOg

— Relaciones Exteriores (@SRE_mx) April 6, 2024

The diplomatic dust-up took place on Friday night in Quito, Ecuador, when police forces arrested former Ecuadoran Vice President Jorge Glas Espinel, a fugitive from justice who was staying in Mexico’s Embassy after asking for political asylum.

Policías y militares ecuatorianos entraron por la fuerza a la embajada de México en Quito donde está asilado el exvicepresidente Jorge Glas. Violaron la soberanía territorial de México y violentaron al encargado de negocios mexicano en plena calle. Gravísimo. pic.twitter.com/b2sFCm8WGH

— Marco Teruggi (@Marco_Teruggi) April 6, 2024

Glas Espinel served as the country’s vice president from 2013 until his removal in 2017 during a bribery scandal. Since then he has been convicted and received various sentences on multiple bribery cases.

A la ciudadanía: pic.twitter.com/KKhTQVbXD8

— Presidencia Ecuador (@Presidencia_Ec) April 6, 2024

Mexico’s government denounced the raid and claimed that Ecuadoran police forces assaulted Mexican diplomatic staff. Roberto Canseco, the head of the Mexican Embassy in Ecuador, claimed that he was struck by police forces when he tried to physically keep them from entering the building.

Imágenes inauditas: todo el respeto y admiración al diplomático Roberto Canseco, héroe en la defensa de la embajada de México en Ecuador ante la ilegal, inaudita y soberbia irrupción de grupos armados ecuatorianos que vulneraron la soberanía mexicana pic.twitter.com/3hwLfXjAco

— Jenaro Villamil (@jenarovillamil) April 6, 2024

Ecuador’s government issued a statement defending their actions, claiming that Glass Espinel had been previously convicted of various corruption crimes and, as such, was a criminal and not politically persecuted. The former politician had been staying at the Mexican embassy since December after asking for asylum, claiming to be targeted by the current government, Reuters reported. In prior weeks, Ecuadoran authorities had Mexico’s government asked for permission to enter the embassy and arrest Glas Espinel but had been turned away.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.