Ecuador would seek to ‘put pressure’ on Mexico to resolve Jorge Glas’ request for political asylum now – 2024-03-28 09:52:37

Mexico is not obliged to respond to the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador to give consent so that the forces of order enter and carry out the capture of former vice president Jorge Glas Espinel, ordered by the National Court of Justice.

Diplomatic and international law experts agree that The only thing the Ecuadorian petition seeks is to put pressure on the North American country to quickly resolve the request for political asylum. that the former vice president made after entering the diplomatic headquarters on December 17, 2023, although his legal situation makes it inadmissible and the Government of Daniel Noboa has already given signals that it will not grant any safe conduct.

However, in the event that the asylum issue is resolved and Mexico chooses not to grant it, At that time, that country would have the option of handing Glas over to Ecuadorian justice immediately.

Francisco Carrión, former foreign minister and former ambassador to the United States and Mexico, considers that the request made by the Foreign Ministry is, in his opinion, “nonsense” and that there is no point in making this notification of the intention to enter with police elements when Glas requested protection to this country.

“Glas is a guest under the protection of Mexican sovereignty. I don’t know where Ecuador gets this request from, it means not having any idea about the diplomatic asylum agreement. “It is a shameful thing what we are doing,” she says.

Esteban Santos, analyst and professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of the Americas (UDLA), says that the Foreign Ministry is exerting pressure with its request so that the asylum request is defined as soon as possible.

Without that permission you request, Ecuador is prohibited, by the principle of inviolability dictated by International Law, from entering the Mexican embassy since it would incur a violation of that country’s sovereignty.

Carrión explains that in another scenario, Mexico could respond by saying that it does not authorize what was requested and that this would leave Ecuador in an embarrassing situation if it were rejected.

“Taking into account the tradition that Mexico has, I was an ambassador there, and they have a very deep tradition of protecting those who are considered politically persecuted and the relationship that exists between Correism and the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador is public,” he comments. .

For former Foreign Minister Mauricio Gándara, the request can also be seen as an offense and he says that it is likely that other countries will show signs of solidarity with Mexico.

“The Chancellor commits a serious offense to Mexico that will receive the solidarity of all of America. This is how Ecuador received it when the United Kingdom verbally threatened the asylum granted to Julian Assange (in 2012). At the request of Ecuador, the Organization of American States was convened,” she says.

‘Jorge Glas can stay for years as a guest, his asylum is inadmissible’

Mexico must resolve the request for political asylum of Glas, who has remained in its diplomatic headquarters since last December 17. The former vice president entered arguing that he was afraid for his safety and personal freedom and was received in that diplomatic delegation as a guest.

María de los Ángeles Duarte, former minister of Correism, remained under the same guest status for two and a half years, but in the residence of the Argentine ambassador in Quito, from which she escaped on March 10, 2023, causing a diplomatic impasse between both countries. .

Duarte was granted asylum by Argentina, despite multiple questions, but the safe passage for her trip to the southern country was never issued and she said she felt “the only political hostage” of Correism in Ecuador.

His request for safe conduct escalated to conversations between presidents Guillermo Lasso and Alberto Fernández when they met at the presidential inauguration of the former president of Peru, Pedro Castillo, on July 28, 2021.

His escape generated a diplomatic impasse between both nations that escalated to declarations of persona non grata and to an exchange of letters between the leaders of that moment.

A similar situation could arise if Mexico decides to grant asylum to Glas and the safe passage is never issued. although Carrión reiterates that the country should not even give it to him when it is clear that this applies to political issues or persecution.

“It is impossible for there to be a political consideration in this case. He is a common criminal and in the view of Ecuador and any other country, it is unfeasible to give him safe passage to leave the country. It is unlikely that Mexico will give him asylum and I also see it as unlikely that he will escape, the conditions of this embassy are different. “Realistically, Mr. Glas could stay there for years,” comments.

Santos also agrees that Glas’ legal situation makes political asylum inadmissible and that the Noboa Government has already warned that there will be no safe passage, so he believes that staying as a guest may be a completely viable option for the former vice president.

“Mexico is comfortable and for Glas to escape would be a total embarrassment for Ecuador that will bring problems and the help that that country is giving him is to keep him in a kind of freezer,” he mentions and remembers that the country has already extended its hand to at least seven Correismo officials who remain there.

However, Gándara reiterates that the classification of asylum corresponds exclusively to the asylum State, Mexico, which grants or denies it without giving reasons as stated in the 1954 Caracas Convention.

Mexican nationality for Glas would not exempt him from being called by Ecuadorian justice

Meanwhile, Professor Santos alludes to a scenario in which Mexico, faced with the impediment to granting asylum, considers granting Mexican nationality to Glas although he says it is unlikely. However, he explains that this would not exempt him from responding.

“Let’s imagine that Glas wakes up Mexican tomorrow, that doesn’t change anything. Because he would continue to be Ecuadorian with dual nationality, he committed crimes and must be held accountable to Ecuadorian justice. The nationality of that person is indifferent,” he says.

Glas’ asylum request could become a political issue

Mexico will have general elections on Sunday, June 2, and experts agree that it is very likely that the country will remain silent regarding Glas’s request for the remainder of AMLO’s term and it will end up being an issue that passes to the incoming government.

So far, according to polls, the ruling party’s candidate (Morena), Claudia Sheinbaum, leads the voting intention. However, the campaign only began this March 1.

Carrión and Santos agree that if Mexico grants asylum at this time and asks Ecuador for safe passage for the transfer of Glas, it could generate criticism from the opposition at times of campaign and that they are decisive for obtaining votes.

Likewise, they say that Ecuador will have elections in a few months, on February 9, 2025, so what happens with the former vice president can also set the political agenda for that process. (I)

Source: KCH