Jorge Glas, Ecuador’s former vice president, who was arrested Friday in a raid on Mexico’s embassy in Quito, fell ill Monday and was hospitalized after refusing to eat prison food for a 24-hour period.
Glas was taken to a naval hospital in Guayaquil, where he is reported to be in stable condition, according to prison officials.
Glas, who is facing corruption allegations, had been granted political refugee status by Mexico just hours before the raid on its embassy in Ecuador’s capital.
Glas’ lawyer said early Monday she was concerned about her client and felt he was at “imminent risk.”
In a highly unusual move, Ecuadoran special forces launched a raid on Mexico’s embassy in Quito on Friday to capture Glas, who had been living in the embassy since December. Agence France Press reports the squad sent to capture Glas was armed with a battering ram.
Mexico suspended diplomatic relations with Ecuador following the almost unheard-of raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito, which, by international norms, is considered sovereign Mexican territory. A number of countries have also criticized the raid.
Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa said in a statement, "We could not allow sentenced criminals involved in very serious crimes to be given asylum.”
Glas was previously convicted on bribery and corruption charges in two separate cases, one of which was tied to the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht and earned him a six-year prison sentence.
He was later sentenced to eight years for his role in a scheme that collected bribes for public procurement.
Glas, who has denied the charges as politically motivated, had been granted political asylum by the Mexican government just a few hours before police raided the embassy.
