Venezuela's embassy and consulates in Ecuador were closed after Maduro's order

On Tuesday, April 16, Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro ordered the closure of his country's diplomatic missions in Ecuador. This decision came after Ecuadorian police stormed the Mexican embassy in Quito, where former Ecuadorian President Jorge Glas was seeking refuge until he was forcibly deported.

“I have ordered the closure of our embassy in Ecuador, as well as our consulates in Quito and Guayaquil,” Maduro announced. I demand the immediate return of diplomatic personnel to Venezuela, so that international law can be explicitly restored in Ecuador. He made this statement during a virtual summit of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

The police operation to arrest Glass took place on April 5, when Mexico granted political asylum to the former Ecuadorian vice president. The Ecuadorian government requested permission to enter the embassy and detain him, but Mexico refused.

Despite this, Ecuadorian forces continued the operation. The Ecuadorian police invasion was condemned by about 30 countries and international organizations, including the United Nations and the Organization of American States.

In the context of Venezuela, Maduro demanded that Ecuador extradite Glass to Mexico and criticized Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa for supporting the operation. “Noboa’s statements represent not only a provocation against Mexico, but also an absolute disregard for international law and the legal framework,” he said.

Jorge Glass took refuge at the Mexican Embassy in Ecuador on December 17, 2023, before he obtained an arrest warrant on corruption charges during his time as an aide to former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa. However, to leave the country, Glass needs safe behavior which Noboa refuses to grant.