Nicolás Maduro's regime closed its embassy in Quito after several Ecuadorian police officers raided the Mexican Embassy in Ecuador several days ago to arrest former vice-president Jorge Glas.
Maduro made the announcement during his speech at the summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which was held telematically.
In addition to closing the embassy, Venezuelan consulates will also close down in Quito and Guayaquil and all diplomats will be sent back to Caracas. "I have ordered to close our embassy in Ecuador, to close the consulate in Quito, to close the consulate in Guayaquil, and to return the diplomatic personnel to Venezuela immediately (...) until international law is expressly restored in Ecuador," Maduro said in statements reported by AFP.
The Venezuelan dictator also called out Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, whom he accused of "provoking" Mexico and international law:
The statements given by President Noboa are, more than an act of provocation against Mexico, an act of provocation against international law and an absolute disregard for the entire legal framework.
Ecuadorian police raided the Mexican embassy on the night of April 5, after the Ecuadorian justice system issued an arrest warrant against Glas. Glas has been accused of corruption dating back to his time as vice president, under Rafael Correa. He is also being investigated for links to drug trafficking.
Following the event, which was condemned by the Organization of American States (OAS), Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador broke off all diplomatic ties with Ecuador, alleging that the embassy raid was "a flagrant violation of international law and Mexico's sovereignty."
