Ecuador’s Ex-Vice President, Jorge Glas, returns to prison following hospitalization
Ecuador’s former Vice President Jorge Glas, whose recent apprehension during a dramatic operation at Mexico’s embassy in Quito sparked widespread concern, has been re-incarcerated after a brief hospitalization, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
Glas, aged 54, was admitted to the hospital on Monday following a 24-hour hunger strike while being held at the Guayaquil maximum-security prison. This move came after his capture last Friday and subsequent transfer to the facility.
According to reports from the SNAI prisons authority, Glas was returned to his cell on Tuesday as his health improved to satisfactory levels.
The Ecuadorian security forces conducted a rare incursion into the embassy last Friday to arrest Glas, who had been granted asylum by Mexico. The former vice president faced a fresh arrest warrant for allegedly misappropriating funds designated for post-earthquake reconstruction efforts in 2016, despite having previously served time on corruption charges.
This breach of diplomatic territory triggered an international backlash, with Mexico, along with several Latin American countries, Spain, the European Union, and the UN Secretary-General, condemning it as a violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention.
The White House joined in the condemnation on Tuesday, with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan criticizing Ecuador for disregarding its international obligations. Sullivan’s remarks followed earlier, more subdued statements from the State Department, prompting Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to voice dissatisfaction with the US and Canadian responses.
Former President Rafael Correa, currently in exile in Belgium, lamented Ecuador’s actions, asserting that Glas’s human rights had been violated and calling for global intervention.
Sonia Vera, a Brussels-based lawyer representing Glas, expressed concern for his safety and urged international intervention, highlighting the perceived threat to his life while in Ecuadorian custody. Additionally, Luisa Gonzalez, a former presidential candidate, raised concerns over the lack of access Glas’s family and legal team had during his hospitalization.
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