Ecuador files lawsuit against Mexico at World Court over asylum decision

Ecuador said on Monday (Apr 29) it is taking legal action against Mexico at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), asking the UN tribunal known as the World Court to rule that Mexico's decision to grant asylum to a controversial former Ecuadorean vice president was illegal.

Mexico's government on Monday questioned why Ecuador waited weeks to file its lawsuit.

The case revolves around former Vice President Jorge Glas, who has been convicted of corruption twice and now faces new charges. He was arrested on April 5 after Ecuadorean police conducted an armed raid on Mexico's embassy in Quito. Glas had been residing at the embassy as a guest since December and had recently been granted asylum status just before the raid.

Ecuador filed a lawsuit, accusing Mexico of committing "a series of violations" since Jorge Glas began living at Mexico's embassy in Quito, according to a statement from Ecuador's foreign ministry on Monday.

Ecuadorean officials contend that Mexico breached international law by meddling in their internal affairs and wrongfully granting Glas political asylum despite the criminal charges pending against him.

"It's noteworthy that these arguments are presented nearly a month after the violent invasion of the Mexican embassy," Mexico's foreign ministry said in a statement, adding it will formally respond to them later.

Mexico filed its own lawsuit against Ecuador at the ICJ earlier this month, accusing Ecuador of violating international law by carrying out the raid on its mission.

The ICJ will hold so-called emergency measures hearings on Tuesday, while Ecuador is expected to defend itself at a Wednesday hearing.

ICJ cases typically take years before being heard on the merits, and while its rulings are legally binding, the tribunal has no means to enforce them.

Ecuador's suit also mentions "insulting" statements by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Prior to the highly unusual raid, Ecuador complained about comments from Lopez Obrador a couple of days before Glas' arrest in which he weighed in on the violence in last year's Ecuadorean presidential election.

An Ecuadorean court has decided that although Glas's arrest was unlawful, he must stay in prison because of his prior convictions.

His legal team has vowed to appeal. Glas faces charges of misappropriating funds raised for the reconstruction of the coastal Manabi province following the devastating earthquake in 2016.

(With inputs from agencies)