Mexico Rejects Ecuador’s Allegations of Assassination Plot

Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) has rejected claims that Mexican nationals were sent to Ecuador to target President Daniel Noboa, denouncing the reports as unfounded and inflammatory. The response followed the circulation of an alleged intelligence document from the Ecuadorian Armed Forces, which declared a “maximum alert” over the purported threat.

According to the document, individuals from Mexico and other countries were allegedly dispatched to Quito to plan attacks and incite unrest after the April 13 elections. It warned of potential terrorist actions targeting key infrastructure such as bridges, financial institutions, and other state facilities. On April 19, Ecuador’s Ministry of Government also released a statement titled The Revenge of the Bad Losers, reiterating the alert and condemning what it described as an attempted assassination plot. The government argued that such actions aimed at destabilizing democratic institutions and disturbing public order in the aftermath of the election.

In response, the SRE strongly denied any involvement and condemned the portrayal of Mexico as a source of criminal threats. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemns the continued and reckless dissemination of narratives, whether through official statements or leaked documents, that portray Mexico as the origin of alleged criminal acts or internal conflicts in Ecuador,” the statement reads.

The ministry also pointed out that diplomatic ties between Mexico and Ecuador were severed in 2024, after Ecuadorian authorities forcibly entered the Mexican embassy in Quito. Despite these events, the SRE emphasized that Mexico’s foreign policy remains grounded in the principle of non-intervention.

President Claudia Sheinbaum later reaffirmed that Mexico would not reestablish diplomatic relations with Ecuador while Noboa remains in office.  “We have no relations with Ecuador, and we will not resume them while he remains president, as he was responsible for the violation of our embassy and our sovereignty.”

What Sparked the Tensions Between Mexico and Ecuador?

Beyond the recent alert involving an alleged attack plot, both countries have experienced multiple diplomatic rifts. The problem began in 2022, when negotiations for a free trade agreement collapsed after Mexico refused to lift tariffs on Ecuador’s shrimp and banana exports, which are key industries for the Andean nation.

Relations reached a breaking point in April 2024, when Ecuadorian police stormed Mexico’s embassy in Quito to arrest former Vice President Jorge Glas, who had been granted asylum. Mexico condemned the raid as a flagrant violation of international law, with Foreign Minister Alicia Bárcena announcing an immediate severing of diplomatic ties. Roberto Canseco, Mexico’s top diplomat in Ecuador, called the operation “barbaric and disgraceful.” In retaliation, Aeroméxico suspended flights to Quito.

By May 2024, Mexico made it clear it had no interest in reconciliation, with Bárcena ruling out any dialogue. The standoff worsened in November 2024, when Mexico denied Ecuador’s request to extradite former official Walter Solís Valarezo, citing his refugee status.

In February 2025, Ecuador imposed a 27% tariff on Mexican goods, but President Claudia Sheinbaum dismissed the move, noting that trade between the two countries was negligible.

The conflict took a new political turn in April 2025, when Sheinbaum declared that Mexico would not restore diplomatic relations as long as Daniel Noboa remains Ecuador’s president. She cited an OAS report that, while acknowledging Noboa’s re-election, criticized the fairness of the electoral process.