UN court hears Mexico’s arguments against Ecuador

Representatives from Mexico on Tuesday told the International Court of Justice that Ecuador violated international law in early April by storming its Mexican Embassy. Mexico said that Ecuadoran authorities have been harassing Mexican embassy staff and that Ecuadoran special forces ultimately attacked its embassy building in Ecuador’s capital city of Quito.

What happened? Mexico granted asylum on its embassy premises to former Ecuadoran Vice President Jorge David Glas Espinel in December 2023, according to Mexico’s application to the ICJ. Then, on April 5, Ecuadoran special forces extracted Glas from the embassy. Mexico has since terminated its diplomatic presence in Ecuador.

What does Ecuador have to say? The other country in the case did not present its arguments before the court on Tuesday. But Ecuador on Monday filed a case of its own before the ICJ, alleging that Mexico violated international law by harboring Glas at the embassy. The lawsuit argues that an Ecuadoran court had convicted Glas of engaging in corruption and that he was under further prosecution for embezzling funds and his treatment of an employee. Ecuador said that by taking Glas into its embassy grounds, Mexico failed to abide by agreements it had made and hindered Ecuador’s judicial system.

What are Mexico and Ecuador each asking the ICJ to do? Mexico has requested that the court suspend Ecuador’s membership in the United Nations until it apologizes to Mexico and restitution is given to Mexico and its personnel. It also requested that the court order Ecuador not to attack or harass embassies in the future.

Ecuador is asking the court to find that Mexico violated international law by allowing Glas to stay on its embassy premises and refusing to hand him over. It asked the court to punish Mexico with unspecified legal consequences.

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