Quito, Ecuador justified his intervention at the Mexican embassy in Quito last month, arguing before the judges of the International Court of Justice that he acted to arrest an individual considered a “common criminal.” This action occurred after Mexico will grant asylum to the former Ecuadorian vice president Jorge Glaswho was taking refuge in the diplomatic headquarters.
The April 5 incident triggered tensions between both countries, exacerbating a dispute that had continued since Glas, convicted of corruption and other crimes, took refuge in the Mexican embassy in December 2023.
In response to the lawsuit filed by Mexico on April 11, which accuses Ecuador of violating international treaties, Ecuadorian legal representatives argued that Mexico had misused its diplomatic facilities by sheltering an individual with a criminal record.
On Tuesday, on the first day of hearings, Mexico defended its demand for urgent measures before ICJ judges.
In a contact with the press, Mexico’s main agent before the court, Alejandro Celorio Alcántara, said that what happened on April 5 “had to have consequences.”
Despite widespread condemnation in Latin America for Ecuador’s action, the South American country’s legal team stated that steps have already been taken to meet Mexico’s demands, making additional intervention by the International Court of Justice unnecessary.
Ecuador also counterattacked by filing its own lawsuit against Mexico, accusing it of using its embassy to protect Glas from Ecuadorian justice, which they claim constituted flagrant misuse of diplomatic facilities.
Mexico “has not demonstrated any urgency for the indication of provisional measures in the sense that there is no real and immediate risk of irreparable damage” to the rights it seeks to protect, said the diplomat, Andrés Terán Parral.
Therefore, “the Republic of Ecuador requests the court to reject the request for indication of provisional measures presented by the United Mexican States,” he stated.
The Court is expected to take a few weeks to decide on the precautionary measures requested by Mexico, while a hearing date for the case presented by Ecuador has not yet been scheduled.
Source: With information from AP
