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The president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, has stated that he does not regret ordering the assault on the Mexican embassy in Quito to arrest Jorge Glas, the former vice president of Rafael Correa. The Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, had granted asylum to Glas just hours before the police entered the embassy forcibly. Noboa expressed his feelings in an interview with an Australian channel, where he mentioned that he would like to invite Glas to eat ceviche or tacos and have a conversation. This incident marked the first interaction of the president with the press since the crisis began.
Noboa made these comments during a meeting with indigenous communities in Puyo, five days after the police officers entered the embassy. The decision to forcefully capture Glas triggered a diplomatic crisis between Ecuador and Mexico, leading to condemnation from 29 American countries, except El Salvador which abstained. The Ecuadorian government cited Glas’s two final sentences, which required him to serve eight years in prison, as the reason for their actions.
The president defended his decision, stating that their justice system had determined Glas’s sentence, and he believed they were justified in their actions. Noboa emphasized that giving asylum to someone with a criminal sentence violates international conventions and sovereignty laws. Despite facing backlash from international bodies, Noboa invited President Obrador to reconcile over a meal.
Mexico received condemnation from the OAS and Celac for their handling of the situation, and they took the matter to the International Court of Justice. However, Noboa proposed a peaceful resolution by inviting Obrador to a meal together. The president expressed his hopes for a dialogue to mend the strained relations between the two countries.
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