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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mexico has released video of the Ecuadorian police raid on its embassy in Quito, where police arrested the country’s former Vice President due to corruption-related charges.

The video captured the moment Ecuadorian police forcefully entered the Mexican embassy in Quito, leading to Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs labeling the raid as an “unauthorized and violent break-in.” The ministry’s statement, issued in both Spanish and English, criticized Ecuador for breaching international treaties that safeguard embassy premises from law enforcement encroachment, stating, “The world witnessed the violence, abuse, and mistreatment of our Mexican personnel at the hands of the Ecuadorian police and the violation of the immunity of our embassy in Ecuador.”

The operation led to the arrest of Jorge Glas, the former Ecuadorian Vice President, who was found within the embassy, having sought refuge there amidst corruption charges. The documentation of the event shows Ecuadorian police assembling outside the embassy, with footage depicting the aggressive entry into the building and the confrontation with Mexican diplomat Roberto Canseco. Canseco is seen attempting to block the police, only to be forcibly moved outside the premises.

Mexico’s response to the raid was swift, with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announcing, “Mexico is an independent and sovereign country, and we will not allow anyone’s meddling in it.” This incident has strained the relations between Ecuador and Mexico, leading to Mexico’s cessation of diplomatic ties with Ecuador and the recall of its diplomatic staff from Quito. The diplomatic staff’s return was noted by Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Relations, Alicia Barcena, who commended their defense of Mexican sovereignty.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has also commented on the incident, saying, “We’ve reviewed the security camera footage from the Mexican embassy and believe these actions were wrong. The Ecuadorian government disregarded its obligations under international law as a host state to respect the inviolability of diplomatic missions and jeopardized the foundation of basic diplomatic norms and relationships.”