International Agreements Broken on Mexican Embassy Assault

April 6, 2024 Hour: 12:09 pm

At the Friday night the Ecuadorian police assaulted the Mexican Embassy in Quito, the objetive was to arrest the former vice-president Jorge Glas, who is accused for the judiciary authorities of alleged corruption in the Odebrecht Case. The event resulted in the immediate breakdown of diplomatic relations between the two Latin American nations.

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Latin American Countries Condemn Mexican Embassy Assault

Several press media higlight that the irruption and violation of the Mexican diplomatic headquarter in Ecuador is a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 18 April 1961, which specifies that ”the premises of the mission are inviolable”.

In particular, article 22 of the document states that Agents of the receiving State may not enter without the consent of the head of mission. Something that was violated by the police and political heads of Ecuador when decided to assault the Embassy, injuring part of the Mexican diplomatic personnel in Quito.

Mexico has suspended relations with Ecuador after Ecuadorian police broke into the Mexican embassy, where former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas was seeking refuge. pic.twitter.com/lIYNdquEDZ

— Benjamin Alvarez (@BenjAlvarez1)
April 6, 2024

“In consultation with the President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and in view of the flagrant and serious violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, in particular the principle of inviolability of Mexico’s diplomatic premises and personnel, and the… pic.twitter.com/qhtk9Kzr14

— Relaciones Exteriores (@SRE_mx)
April 6, 2024

Article 22 of the agreement emphasizes that the receiving State has a special obligation to take all appropriate measures to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent the tranquillity of the mission from being disturbed or its dignity undermined.

”The premises of the mission, its furniture and other property situated therein and the means of transport of the mission shall not be the subject of any search, requisition, seizure or enforcement measure,” states the Vienna Agreement.

The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations states that:

“The premises of the mission shall be inviolable.
The receiving State is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage”. pic.twitter.com/Ljp5KtTFM1

— Dr Cristopher Ballinas Valdés (@crisballinas)
April 6, 2024

Likewise, article 29 reads: “The person of the diplomatic agent is inviolable. He may not be subjected to any form of arrest or detention. The receiving State shall treat him with due respect and shall take all appropriate measures to prevent any attack on his person, freedom or dignity”.

Several Latin American countries have condemned the assault on the Mexican Emabassy. Brazil, Uruguay, Honduras, Chile, Colombia, VEnezuela, Cuba and the Organization of American States have energetically condemned the military intrusion in the embassy, as well as former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa.