Source: Pixabay
Ecuador on Monday took Mexico to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for granting asylum to former vice president Jorge Glas, who Quito captured in a controversial embassy raid.
The South American country filed a case Monday with the court in The Hague “for Mexico’s violations of a series of international obligations” for granting corruption-accused Glas asylum at its embassy in Quito, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Quito’s security forces stormed the Mexican embassy on April 5 to arrest Glas, who is wanted on corruption charges dating from his time in office from 2013 to 2017.
The rare incursion on diplomatic territory sparked an international outcry and led Mexico to break ties with Ecuador, pulling its diplomats out of the country.
Mexico has filed a lawsuit against Ecuador at the ICJ, saying it wants the country suspended from the United Nations.
A hearing on that matter has been scheduled for Tuesday, with both countries set to make their case.
In its own filing, Ecuador argues that Mexico illegally used its embassy in Quito to “shield Mr Glas from enforcement by Ecuador of its criminal law,” according to a statement from the ICJ.
Ecuador also argues that Mexico unlawfully granted Glas political asylum and interfered in its internal affairs.
Several Latin American states, Spain, the European Union, United States and the UN chief have condemned the embassy intrusion as a violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention governing diplomatic relations.
Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa has defended the embassy raid as necessary to detain Glas because he posed a flight risk.
After his arrest, Glas was taken to a maximum security prison in Ecuador’s port city of Guayaquil, from where he has appealed for “help” from the international community.
Shortly after his capture, Glas was hospitalized due to what officials said was the 54-year-old’s refusal to eat. He was treated and returned to prison.