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🇪🇨 Ecuador /Conflict & Security

Sheinbaum: Mexico-Ecuador Relations Require More Than Just Declarations for Restoration

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that Mexico-Ecuador diplomatic relations, severed in March 2024 after Ecuador's police entered the Mexican embassy to arrest ex-Vice President Jorge Glas, can only be restored under specific conditions.
  • She emphasized that reconciliation requires more than just declarations from Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and that Mexico will seek information on its complaint against Ecuador at the International Court of Justice.
  • Sheinbaum reiterated that embassies are symbolic extensions of a country's territory and that violating diplomatic immunity is a grave offense, citing international treaties and Mexico's tradition of granting political asylum.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has outlined the conditions under which diplomatic relations with Ecuador could be restored, following a significant rupture in March 2024. The break occurred when Ecuadorian police forcibly entered the Mexican embassy in Quito to arrest former Vice President Jorge Glas, who had been granted political asylum by Mexico.

Embassies are like a piece of territory of other countries in that country.

— Claudia SheinbaumMexican President Claudia Sheinbaum explaining the significance of embassy sovereignty.

Sheinbaum stressed that any path toward reconciliation must involve more than just statements from Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa. Mexico intends to pursue its complaint against Ecuador at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the embassy incursion. "We are going to ask the foreign minister for the status and the conditions for restoring relations with Ecuador," she stated, indicating a thorough review process.

During her press conference, Sheinbaum explained the gravity of the situation, emphasizing that embassies are considered extensions of a nation's sovereign territory. The violation of diplomatic immunity, she argued, is a serious breach of international law, underscored by established treaties and Mexico's long-standing tradition of offering political asylum. She asserted that any country would have reacted similarly to such an incident.

We are going to ask the foreign minister for the status and the conditions for restoring relations with Ecuador.

— Claudia SheinbaumMexican President Claudia Sheinbaum outlining the process for potentially resuming diplomatic ties.

The President also addressed criticism from some opposition sectors that blame Mexico for diplomatic conflicts. She drew a parallel with Peru, where relations were severed due to Mexico's political stance concerning the then-Peruvian president, Pedro Castillo. Sheinbaum concluded that Mexico must carefully analyze the necessary conditions before re-establishing diplomatic ties, ensuring that such a move is justified and respects international norms.

We are going to ask the foreign minister for the status and the conditions for restoring relations with Ecuador.

— Claudia SheinbaumMexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on the steps needed to re-establish diplomatic ties with Ecuador.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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