- On Monday, Mexico will denounce Ecuador’s violations of international law at the International Court of Justice and in multilateral and regional forums.
- Mexico’s diplomatic personnel arrived in Mexico from Quito after an assault on the embassy by the Ecuadorian police.
At a press conference at the Mexico City International Airport to welcome Mexico’s diplomatic personnel on their arrival from Quito, Ecuador, Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena commended the bravery of the Mexicans who defended the sovereignty of our country.
"I would like to commend all the officials and their families [...] who truly defended our embassy in Quito, even risking their own safety [...] I would like to say that all of Mexico commends them, and to convey the pride we Mexicans feel [...] And from here in Mexico, we say to our community that is still in Ecuador that we will continue to support them," said the Foreign Secretary.
A total of 18 people, the diplomatic corps accredited in Ecuador and their families, arrived in Mexico on Sunday morning after the violent intrusion by the Ecuadorian police into the embassy on the night of Friday, April 5.
At the instruction of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Foreign Secretary Bárcena coordinated the return of the diplomatic personnel on a commercial flight. "Can you imagine what it is like to leave your life, to leave a life that you had planned in a country and to have 48 hours to leave the country? It is a shock [...] this is something that has never happened in Mexico’s history and, I would say, in the recent history of Latin America, not even in the worst moments of dictatorships," said the secretary.
The diplomatic staff, headed by Ambassador Raquel Serur Smeke and Minister Roberto Canseco Martínez, was met by Foreign Secretary Bárcena Ibarra; Undersecretary for Latin America and the Caribbean Laura Elena Carrillo Cubillas; and Director General for South America Pablo Monroy Conesa.
The secretary said that Mexico would go to the International Court of Justice on Monday, April 8. "We strongly condemn the violent intrusion of Ecuadorian security personnel into our embassy [...] we will go to all the appropriate multilateral, regional and international forums so that this is absolutely condemned by the entire international community," she said.
She thanked the 18 Latin American countries and ten European countries, the United States and Canada, the European Union, the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community, as well as multiple international organizations and parliamentarians who have expressed their solidarity with Mexico.
Foreign Secretary Bárcena also acknowledged the support shown by the Ministers of Defense, Luis Cresencio Sandoval, and the Navy, Rafael Ojeda Durán, as well as that of Aeroméxico. She acknowledged the unity shown by most of Mexico's political forces. "They all joined their voices in defense of our country and we should feel very proud of that," she said.
The Foreign Secretary said that there are approximately 1,600 Mexicans in Ecuador and that they would continue to receive support from a distance. Consular services will be provided by the embassies of countries such as Colombia and Chile.
Ambassador Raquel Serur acknowledged the work of the Mexican Foreign Service in Ecuador, and the strength of Mexico’s institutions. "The highest honor for me has been to serve Mexico, to serve as ambassador to Ecuador. I left Ecuador with my head held high; I arrive in Mexico with my head held high and with the satisfaction of having fulfilled my duty [...] Believe me, the dedication of our career diplomats to Mexico is extraordinary and deserves the recognition of all Mexicans," she said.
She deplored the actions of the Ecuadorian government, "The outrage committed against our embassy is of such magnitude that the current government of Ecuador still doesn’t know what it has done to its people," she said.
In his remarks, Minister Roberto Canseco, who tried to prevent the raid on the embassy and was attacked by the Ecuadorian police, said, "I am very proud of Mexico's foreign policy [...] very proud of its policy of protecting Mexicans abroad, we are like their family abroad. Mexico is a diplomatic power," he said.
