Venezuela shuts diplomatic office in Ecuador to protest Mexico embassy raid
Al Jazeera
Speaking at a summit of regional states, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro denounces raid as an ‘act of barbarism’.
Venezuela has announced plans to close its embassy and consulates in Ecuador, an act meant to signal displeasure with the recent police raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito.
Venezuela’s Ministry of Communication and Information (MIPPCI) announced the measure on Tuesday, saying that it would only reverse its decision once “international law is expressly restored in Ecuador”.
The move is the latest show of support for Mexico after experts said Ecuador violated international law by sending law enforcement onto embassy grounds.
The aim was to arrest former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas, who had been twice convicted on corruption-related charges.
He had been sheltering in the Mexican embassy since December to avoid arrest and imprisonment.
