Former Ecuador Vice President Jorge Glas has reportedly attempted suicide and is now on a hunger strike in a prison in Guayaquil to protest his arrest, according to his lawyer Sonia Vera and former President Rafael Correa. The incident comes amid ongoing legal battles for Glas, who has been convicted of corruption twice before and is facing new charges.
Glas was arrested last Friday after a police raid on Mexico’s Quito embassy, where he had been residing since December. He was taken to the hospital on Monday after refusing to eat food provided in jail, leading to concerns about his health.
Correa confirmed in a message on X, which was also confirmed by Vera in a WhatsApp message, that Glas’s medical emergency was indeed a suicide attempt. Glas is now refusing to eat and has begun a hunger strike.
The arrest came amid escalating tensions between Mexico and Ecuador, following Ecuador’s declaration of the Mexican ambassador as persona non grata. The Ecuadorian government claims to have evidence that Glas was planning to escape, although details have not been provided.
Glas was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday and returned to prison. Video footage from inside the embassy, aired during Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s press conference, showed the violent entry and Glas being carried out.
In a video shared by his lawyer, Glas accused the police of mistreating him during the arrest in Quito. His legal team has filed a petition for his release, with a hearing scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Quito, according to Vera.
The situation highlights the complex legal and political challenges facing Glas, who continues to fight his legal battles from behind bars.
