Ecuador defends raid on the Mexican Embassy and tells top UN court it acted to take in a criminal

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Ecuador is defending its storming of Mexico’s Embassy in Quito last month. Lawyers for Ecuador told the judges at the International Court of Justice on Wednesday that it acted to take into custody “a common criminal” — Ecuador’s former vice president — who was holed up inside the diplomatic post. Their statements are part of hearings at the ICJ in a case filed by Mexico that accuses Quito of blatantly violating international treaties by storming the embassy to arrest former Vice President Jorge Glas. The April 5 raid fueled tensions brewing between the two countries since Glas, a convicted criminal and fugitive, took refuge at the embassy in December.