(AFP) An appeals court of Ecuador's National Court of Justice (CNJ) reversed the ruling that considered the detainment of former Ecuadorian vice president Jorge Glas illegal and arbitrary. The former Ecuadorian vice president was captured during a raid on the Mexican embassy in April.

In its ruling issued Friday night, the court of appeals also rejected an appeal filed by Glas for his release, which means that he will continue to be held in a maximum security prison in Guayaquil (southwest).

"It is verified that the detention was lawful, legitimate and not arbitrary," the court noted.

Last April 12th, seven days after the raid on the embassy, a court of first instance of the CNJ had branded Glas' arrest as "illegal and arbitrary," considering that there was no search warrant to enter the diplomatic headquarters. However, it determined that the former vice-president should remain in prison due to pending convictions.

The arrest of Glas, to whom Mexico had granted asylum before the assault on its diplomatic headquarters, has led the Mexican government to cut diplomatic ties with Ecuador.

Glas took refuge in the Mexican embassy last December, before the CNJ issued him a prison order for alleged embezzlement in the management of funds for the reconstruction of towns devastated by an earthquake in 2016. The process is ongoing.

As a result of the embassy raid, both governments are now fighting a battle in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Mexico accused Ecuador of "violating international law" and asked for it to be suspended from the UN until it apologizes. For its part, Ecuador alleges that the granting of asylum to Glas by Mexico was illegal, since he is a defendant in the common justice system.