Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has been seething after Ecuador conducted a police raid on Mexican soil to arrest former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas inside the Mexican Embassy in Quito. Meanwhile, the rest of the world condemned the Daniel Noboa administration over the raid as it violated Mexico's sovereignty.

A Mexican foreign ministry spokesperson spoke with CNN and confirmed that all Mexico Embassy staff in the country would be leaving the country immediately as the row between the two Latin American countries continues.

Mexico was not happy at the raid in its embassy, calling it "an outrage against international law." Meanwhile, the United Nations voiced concern over Daniel Noboa's actions as embassies are generally considered protected spaces under diplomatic norms.

Glas was convicted twice on charges of corruption. However, he fled to the Mexican Embassy and sought political asylum and has been sheltering there over the last few days. Mexico then decided to grant him political asylum and this was when the rift between Noboa's and AMLO's respective governments started.

Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed on Friday that he had been informed that "police from Ecuador forcibly entered" the embassy and took Glas, whom he described "was a refugee and processing asylum because of the persecution and harassment he faces."

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Daniel Noboa administration said that Glas was "sentenced to imprisonment by the Ecuadorian justice system" and that he was "arrested tonight and placed under the orders of the competent authorities."

Even with Glas being inside what was considered Mexican soil and, therefore, Ecuador having no jurisdiction there, the Ecuadorian government stated that his diplomatic asylum was "contrary to the conventional legal framework." The former VP has been transferred to a maximum-security prison in Guayaquil known as La Roca. 

Mexico Warns Ecuador Government Could Kill Former Vice President Jorge Glas

To get inside the Mexican Embassy, Ecuadorian police broke down the building's external doors and forcibly entered the main patio to arrest Glas. Mexico is now claiming that the former VP's life may be in danger, with Roberto Canseco, head of chancellery and policy affairs of the Mexican embassy, telling local Ecuadorian press saying so.

READ MORE: Ecuador Declares Mexico Ambassador Persona Non Grata After Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Comments

"This is not possible, it cannot be, this is crazy," said Canseco in a press conference held outside the embassy after the raid. "I am very worried because they could kill him. There is no basis to do this, this is totally outside the norm."

"It is barbarism," the Mexican diplomat added. "It is impossible for them to violate the diplomatic premises as they have done."

US and Spain Condemn Ecuador's Daniel Noboa Administration Over Mexico Embassy Raid

Meanwhile, two of Mexico's biggest allies, the United States and former colonizer Spain, also condemned Ecuador, calling the Daniel Noboa government's actions a violation of international law, according to the Associated Press.

"The United States condemns any violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and takes very seriously the obligation of host countries under international law to respect the inviolability of diplomatic missions," said US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller before calling on the two countries to resolve their differences.

Meanwhile, the Spanish Foreign Ministry released a statement, saying, "The entry by force into the Embassy of Mexico in Quito constitutes a violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. We call for respect for international law and harmony between Mexico and Ecuador, brotherly countries to Spain and members of the Ibero-American community."

READ MORE: Ecuador Political Violence Continues as Local Political Leader Is Killed

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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