Ecuador rejects Mexico’s request for safe conduct for Jorge Glas

QUITO, Ecuador.— This Tuesday, the government of Ecuador rejected the request made by Mexico to grant a pass for the former vice president Jorge Glaswhich was made clear by once again publishing a bulletin from April in which it stressed that such a requirement was not applicable.

In response to questions from several journalists via WhatsApp, the Foreign Ministry again shared the statement released four months ago, accompanied by the message: “We reiterate what was mentioned in the press release of April 5.” The document indicated that for Ecuador it is “legally evident that the granting of diplomatic asylum is not lawful” for Glas, and consequently it says that it will not grant a safe-conduct pass because “it is not appropriate.”

Glas, vice president of Ecuador between 2013 and 2018 —during the governments of Rafael Correa and Lenín Moreno— is serving two sentences for corruption in a maximum security prison in Guayaquil. In addition to these two sentences, Glas faces an additional trial for a new crime of embezzlement of public funds.

Ecuador rejects Mexico’s request to grant safe passage for Jorge Glas Credit: Social networks

To avoid prosecution, Glas entered the Mexican embassy in Quito at the end of last year, but at the beginning of April the police raided the diplomatic headquarters and arrested him, an action considered a serious violation of Mexican sovereignty and which led to the breaking off of diplomatic relations and mutual claims before the International Court of Justice.

Mexico on Monday formally asked Ecuador, given Glas’ delicate state of health, to hand over the document on behalf of the imprisoned former vice president, so that it can be delivered to a third country.

The government of the President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obradorestablished an agreement with Switzerland to assume its diplomatic representation and protect its assets in Ecuador. At the end of July, the Ecuadorian foreign minister, Gabriela Sommerfeldsaid that the bilateral relationship was improving, although he did not give details.

Glas has already tried to turn to the Ecuadorian justice system to be granted house arrest, through a request for you have a body which was denied on July 9. Authorities have confirmed that the former official has received 79 consultations from psychologists, cardiologists, pulmonologists and general practitioners since April.

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