Caracas, May 4, 2024.- In order to demand the release of the former vice president of Ecuador Jorge Glas, former presidents, politicians, academics, social activists and artists from several countries signed a letter on Saturday. In the letter, the signatories denounce that on the night of April 5, 2024, the President of the Republic of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, ordered the violent incursion of military and police forces against the Embassy of Mexico in Quito.
“This invasion of Mexican territory was intended to kidnap Jorge Glas, former vice president who has been under judicial and political persecution for seven years (a period he spent mostly in prison), and who was in political asylum in that diplomatic headquarters,” reads the letter, also signed by ALBA’s Executive Secretary, Jorge Arreaza.
The signatories of the document for the release of the former vice-president affirm that in the most recent Summit of Heads of State and Government of CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) and in the ALBA-TCP Summit, “several regional leaders expressed themselves very clearly, calling for the release of Jorge Glas”.
Regarding this letter, Arreaza stressed that, “we demand respect for international law and the immediate return to the situation existing prior to the raid against the Mexican embassy, restoring the status of political asylum and the corresponding international protection”.
Jorge Glas was violently kidnapped and was subjected to torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. “At this moment, he is under constant death threats and his family, lawyers and colleagues are permanently harassed and intimidated,” they denounced in the letter.
They warned that this situation threatens the stability of the region, and demanded that Jorge Glas’s protection under international law be enforced.
The letter closes by requesting that the former vicepresident be granted the corresponding safe conduct authorization to travel safe and sound to Mexican territory.
The document was signed by Evo Morales, former president of Bolivia; Jorge Arreaza, ALBA Executive Secretary; Ernesto Samper, former president of Colombia; Silvio Rodríguez, Cuban musician; Maribel Aponte (Puerto Rico); Fernando Buen Abad (Mexico), Alberto Fernández, former president of Argentina, among others.