The Mexican government requested precautionary measures against Ecuador before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), based in the Netherlands, this Tuesday (30), following the attack on the Mexican embassy in Quito, on April 5.
At the Peace Palace in The Hague, ICJ judges conducted their first public hearing, in which they heard Mexico’s allegations. The country argued that Ecuador violated international law, more specifically, the principle of the inviolability of embassies, established in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
On April 5, Mexico severed its diplomatic relations with Ecuador. This happened because Mexico accused Ecuador of violently storming its embassy in Quito. During this invasion, Ecuadorian police kidnapped Jorge Glas, the former vice president who was granted political asylum by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Because of these events, Mexico took the case to the ICJ.
In explaining the case, the Mexican representative at the Court in The Hague, Alejandro Celorio, said: “There are lines in international law that should not be crossed. Unfortunately, the Republic of Ecuador has crossed them.”
“Ecuador’s actions not only violate the limits established by international law, but also create a disconcerting precedent that reverberates throughout the international community,” said the Mexican diplomat.
Celorio emphasized that Mexico is requesting precautionary measures against Ecuador, pending the start of the trial and the end of the process.
In a second hearing, Ecuador will respond to the arguments presented.
