MEXICO CITY (AP) 鈥 Venezuelan President Nicol谩s Maduro ordered the closure of his country鈥檚 embassy and consulates in Ecuador on Tuesday in solidarity with Mexico in its protest over a raid by Ecuadorian authorities on the Mexican Embassy in Quito.
Maduro and other presidents participating in a virtual meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States expressed their support for Mexico's request to have suspend Ecuador from the world body over the April 5 raid. But Maduro was the only one to announce the closure of diplomatic outposts and recall of personnel.
鈥淭he condemnation has been unanimous, total, absolute,鈥 Maduro said, referring to the excoriation Ecuador's move has drawn. 鈥淣o one today in this world comes out to defend this barbaric act.鈥
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa ordered the Mexican Embassy to arrest the country's former Vice President , a convicted criminal and fugitive who had been living there since December. Mexico granted him asylum hours before police found Glas in a bedroom and dragged him out.
The extraordinarily unusual use of force drew immediate condemnation from governments around the world because diplomatic premises are considered foreign soil and .
who did not participate in Tuesday's meeting, said last week that he authorized the raid 鈥渢o protect national security." His government has argued that Glas was wanted for his criminal convictions for corruption and not political reasons and has accused Mexico of violating the Vienna treaties by granting him asylum.
Mexico severed diplomatic relations with Ecuador immediately after the raid and recalled its diplomatic mission. It hoped to use the CELAC meeting to rally a unified front for its case both at the U.N. and before the International Court of Justice.
Honduras President Xiomara Castro, who currently leads CELAC, opened Tuesday's meeting by reading a proposed statement condemning Ecuador鈥檚 actions. She then presented a video of Ecuadorian authorities breaking into Mexico鈥檚 Embassy, along with dramatic music.
Mexico President Andr茅s Manuel L贸pez Obrador followed, repeating his demand that Ecuador be suspended from the United Nations until it apologizes and promises to never do it again.
鈥淚f we don鈥檛 do this, we are not going to be able to live in a world ruled by norms, by laws,鈥 L贸pez Obrador said. 鈥淲e would be living in the world of the gorillas."
The Mexican president cited Augusto Pinochet, who ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990, and said even Pinochet did not raid Mexico's embassy when Chilean dissidents sought refuge there. 鈥淧inochet didn鈥檛 dare to invade our embassy, that fearsome dictator," L贸pez Obrador said.
Maduro said he has ordered all diplomatic personnel back to Venezuela 鈥渦ntil international law is expressly restored in Ecuador.鈥
Maduro said Glas, who is now being held at a maximum-security prison in the port city of Guayaquil, 鈥渕ust be returned to the Mexican embassy and have his political asylum recognized.鈥
Noboa drew additional criticism for not appearing at CELAC's virtual gathering. While leaders questioned his decision, he posted an Instagram video promoting improvements to law enforcement infrastructure and another one announcing an emergency declaration covering the country's electricity sector amid hours-long power outages in Quito.
鈥淗e should have shown up and assumed responsibility for himself in front of Ecuador, in front of Latin America, in front of the Caribbean, in front of the world and he has not shown his face," Maduro said. "I can say from Venezuela that he has gone into hiding and the people of Ecuador should know it.鈥
Venezuela鈥檚 Embassy in Quito appeared closed Tuesday. People trying to take care of paperwork remained outside, along with reporters, unable to get answers from embassy staff.
Mexico鈥檚 Foreign Affairs Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Venezuela鈥檚 announcement.
Under Maduro鈥檚 11-year presidency, more than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left their home country, and most have settled elsewhere in Latin America and in the Caribbean. Ecuador has the sixth-largest concentration of Venezuelan migrants.
Ecuadorian officials and nongovernmental organizations that assist migrants estimate that 475,000 Venezuelans live in Ecuador. Of those more than 231,000 live permanently and legally there, according to Ecuador鈥檚 2023 census.
