Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro closed his country’s embassy and consulates in Ecuador in solidarity with Mexico following the raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito. This move was made to show support for Mexico and their request to have Ecuador suspended from the United Nations. The raid on the Mexican diplomatic outpost was to arrest former Vice President Jorge Glas, who was a convicted criminal and fugitive seeking asylum in the embassy. The use of force in the raid was condemned by the international community as diplomatic premises are considered inviolable under the Vienna treaties.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa defended the raid on the Mexican embassy, stating that it was to protect national security and that Glas was wanted for criminal convictions, not political reasons. Mexico, outraged by the raid, immediately severed diplomatic relations with Ecuador and recalled its diplomatic mission. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador called for Ecuador to be temporarily expelled from the United Nations until it apologizes for the sovereignty violation in the embassy raid. Mexico was seeking support from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States to advance its case internationally.
Maduro, in support of Mexico’s stance, ordered all diplomatic personnel back to Venezuela until international law is restored in Ecuador. He expressed his full support for Mexico’s proposal to expel Ecuador from the United Nations until the situation is resolved. Maduro called for the return of Glas to the Mexican embassy and for his political asylum to be recognized. Noboa was criticized for not attending the virtual meeting of regional leaders and for not addressing the situation publicly, with Maduro accusing him of going into hiding.
The Venezuelan exodus under Maduro’s presidency has seen more than 7.7 million Venezuelans leaving their home country, with many settling in Latin America and the Caribbean. Ecuador has become the sixth largest destination for Venezuelan migrants, with an estimated 475,000 Venezuelans residing there. Over 231,000 of these migrants live permanently and legally in Ecuador according to the country’s census. The closure of Venezuela’s diplomatic missions in Ecuador highlights the strained relationships between the two countries and underscores the regional implications of the embassy raid on Mexico. The situation remains tense as international bodies are called upon to mediate and resolve the diplomatic crisis.
