"Mexico abused its diplomatic headquarters in Quito for months to harbor a common criminal who was duly sentenced on two occasions by the highest courts in Ecuador for serious crimes related to corruption and is involved in ongoing proceedings related to more corruption cases and other crimes," argued the Ecuadorian ambassador to the Netherlands, Andrés Terán, before the ICJ.

The ICJ today held the second public hearing on the Ecuadorian police raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito and the attack on Mexican diplomatic staff on April 5.

Andrés Terán assured, in his speech, that the hearings before the international court are "unnecessary and completely unjustified."

"These events (the raid on the Mexican embassy and the attack on its officials) were of a highly exceptional nature and their circumstances no longer exist today. Ecuador fully protects the embassy and the diplomatic headquarters of Mexico, as it respects and protects all those who are in our capital," assured Terán.

The Ecuadorian ambassador also said that his country was "willing" for these guarantees to be written in an order of the ICJ, but Mexico rejected this "act of good will" by bringing the case before the international organization "without a real objective."

Andrés Terán also stressed that "there are no threats" currently against Mexican properties in Ecuador, after "Mexico's insinuations that the Ecuadorian courts could order new entries into its embassy," since such a situation is not foreseen in Ecuadorian law.

The Ecuadorian ambassador insisted that the assault on the embassy where former Vice President Glas was located was an "isolated" event and justified that the politician is a "criminal" who was "duly convicted" for corruption cases and is responding in other open cases.

"We will never protect criminals who have caused harm to Ecuadorians," argued the representative of Ecuador before the International Court of Justice.

On Tuesday, the ICJ held the first public hearing on the Ecuadorian police raid on the Mexican embassy and the attack on diplomatic staff on the night of April 5. Mexico presented its arguments to the court on the alleged violations of international law committed by Ecuador.

Mexico considers it necessary to issue precautionary measures against Ecuador and asked the ICJ to demand that Quito "take appropriate and immediate measures to provide full protection and security to the diplomatic facilities, its properties and its archives, avoiding any form of intrusion against them."

The Mexican government cut diplomatic relations with Quito after the attack on the embassy, which provoked international protests. Mexico asked the ICJ to "suspend Ecuador as a member of the United Nations" until it presents a public apology "recognizing its violations of the fundamental principles and norms of international law."

On Monday, Ecuador announced that it had submitted its own request to the ICJ against Mexico for violating "a series of international obligations" after the asylum granted to Glas, 54.

Between Tuesday and today, the ICJ is hearing the arguments of the two countries as part of the complaint filed by Mexico. Later, it will communicate the dates of the hearings to hear the request presented by Quito.

On April 5, the Ecuadorian police raided the Mexican embassy in Quito, where former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas had been taking refuge for several weeks, claiming to fear for his safety. Mexico had confirmed shortly before the police operation that it would grant political asylum to the 'number two' of former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa (2007-2017).

The Ecuadorian authorities accuse Jorge Glas of an alleged crime of embezzlement of public funds destined for reconstruction works in the province of Manabí after the strong earthquake of 2016, which caused more than 670 deaths.

Read Also: Invasion of embassy in Quito? Mexico accuses Ecuador of overstepping its limits (Portuguese version)