Ecuadorian justice overturns ruling declaring Glas’ seizure of the Mexican embassy illegal

The Ecuadorian Court of Appeal rejected the appeal in the second instance habeas corpus What demanded the immediate release of Jorge Glas, former vice president of Rafael Correa and overturned the original ruling, which called his detention illegal and arbitrary. inside the Mexican embassy in Quito when that country’s government granted him asylum.

The Specialized Chamber of Administrative Cases of the National Court found that the arrest of Glas, which occurred on April 5 as a result of the police invasion of the Mexican diplomatic headquarters and was condemned almost unanimously by the international community, was “lawful, lawful and not arbitrary” This was reported by the lawyers of the former vice president.

The court of first instance hearing the case habeas corpus presented in favor of Glas initially determined that the detention was unlawful and arbitrary for failing to follow protocol for raids on foreign diplomatic delegations alleged to be in Ecuador, but kept the former vice president in jail because he had not yet served an eight-year prison sentence on two charges (bribery and unlawful association) in corruption cases.

The ruling accepted the government’s arguments that entry without permission into the Mexican Embassy in Quito sought to prevent the escape of the accused who had an arrest warrant and still had active convictions.

He habeas corpuspromoted by lawyer Francisco Hidalgo, demanded that the Ecuadorian judge order the release of Glas and transport him to Mexico or a third country ready to respect the asylum granted to him by the Mexican authorities.

Voice, which denies the charges brought against it and declares itself politically persecuted, On December 17, 2023, he entered the Mexican diplomatic headquarters asking for asylum. as prosecutors prepared to prosecute him on charges of embezzlement (misappropriation of public funds) during reconstruction work after the devastating 2016 earthquake.

The Mexican government granted asylum to Glas in the midst of a diplomatic crisis with Ecuador, whose President Daniel Noboa expelled Ambassador Raquel Serur after Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador linked the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio to the businessman’s election victory.

After his capture, Glas was imprisoned in Skala. a maximum security prison in Ecuador that is part of the Guayaquil penitentiary complex, a group of five prisons that have had their catering company’s meals suspended since June 1.

The new decree, issued last Friday, instructs the State Prison Service, the National Service for Comprehensive Services for Persons Deprived of Liberty (SNAI), guarantee and protect the rights of Glas“especially the right to life, health and integrity, given the current prison situation.”

Glas, who also has German citizenship, was one of the influential people in the Correa government (2007-2017). From 2013 to 2017, he served as vice president. as well as in the first months of Lenin Moreno’s presidential term (2017-2021), until an investigation began against him.

“Between the rooster and midnight they report this nonsense. Will moral reservation be preserved in the country? Correa, having learned of the decision, which, according to the former president, justified the legality of the detention, “in which the state of exception applies and the inviolability of the house (embassy!) does not apply, and that they must be based on national law and not international law.”

“They never notified the composition of the appeal court, they never taught knowledge. They didn’t even deign to mention who they gave it to friend of the curia“The former president complained.

Between friend of the curia who joined the appeal to provide arguments in favor of Glas’ request there was a Puebla group, Lofara Observatory, Argentine lawyer Eugenio Zaffaroni and former Bolivian Ambassador to the UN Sacha Llorenti.

“Everyone knows and has seen this This was done by destroying international law and Ecuadorian law. We will not stop reporting this case until we achieve his freedom,” said Sacha Llorenti on the social network X last Friday.

Mexico and Ecuador have counterclaim before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the events that occurred on April 5, with mutual accusations of violation of international conventions and norms.

(EFE)