Switzerland will take over Mexico’s representation in Ecuador after relations between Quito and Mexico City soured over an invasion of the Mexican embassy by Ecuadorian police. The raid ordered by Ecuador’s young President Daniel Noboa to arrest former Vice President Jorge Glas took place in April 2024.

The agreement was announced by Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena on X social media. “It’s time to support peace, not war,” Barcena wrote. “That is why, in Switzerland, I reaffirmed that all parties to the conflict must be involved in order to achieve that. Mexico is in favor of international law and against invasions and aggression, particularly against diplomatic structures.”

Under the agreement, Switzerland will protect diplomatic interests on the basis of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, will be responsible for the protection of Mexican assets in Ecuador, and will maintain an active consular service for Ecuadorian nationals in Mexican territory. After the embassy invasion, Mexico filed a lawsuit in the International Court of Justice seeking Ecuador’s suspension from the UN for violating international law.

“At the request of the governments of Mexico and Ecuador, Switzerland will defend the interests of Mexico vis-à-vis Ecuador and vice versa. The respective agreements were signed on June 15, 2024 with Mexico and on June 24, 2024 with Ecuador. Switzerland thus guarantees that diplomatic and consular channels between the two states will remain open after Mexico severed diplomatic relations with Ecuador on April 5 this year,” the Swiss Federal Council said in a statement.