Honduras recalls top diplomat in Ecuador over Mexico embassy raid
TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduras is recalling its senior diplomat in Ecuador, the Central American country's foreign minister announced on Tuesday, in the latest action taken in response to Ecuador's shocking raid this month on the Mexican embassy in Quito.
Foreign Minister Enrique Reina said the Honduran business manager, Clarivel Vallecillo, who has been stationed at the embassy, will return to Tegucigalpa for consultations, stressing that Honduras backs Mexico's recently-filed case against Ecuador in the U.N.'s International Court of Justice.
The April 5 raid on the Mexican embassy to arrest former Ecuadorean Vice President Jorge Glas triggered an abrupt break in relations between Mexico City and Quito, as well as wave of condemnation for the decision by Ecuador's government to force its way into the facility.
Glas, twice convicted of corruption and now facing fresh charges, had sought refuge in the embassy since late last year.
The government of Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa has argued that Mexican officials had illegally granted Glas protection at their embassy.
Late last week, a court in Ecuador ruled that the dramatic arrest of Glas was illegal, but added he must remain in jail due to his previous convictions. Glas' lawyer pledged to appeal the ruling.
(Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Sarah Morland and Bill Berkrot)
