The government of Ecuador has condemned what it described as an attempt by a US federal immigration agent to enter the Ecuadorean consulate in Minneapolis. The agent was prevented from gaining access by consular officials, who acted 'to guarantee the protection of the Ecuadoreans who were inside the consulate at the time,' a statement by Ecuador's foreign ministry said.
Ecuador, whose president is an ally of Trump, has filed an official complaint. The incident comes at a time of high tension in the US city, just days after intensive care nurse Alex Pretti was shot dead by border agents during protests against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Ecuador's foreign ministry stated an ICE agent had 'tried to enter the premises of the consulate' at 11:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Tuesday.
Under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, consular premises are considered 'inviolable'. The treaty prohibits authorities of the host country from entering consular spaces without consent from the consular head, a condition that Ecuador claims was not met during this incident. A video shared by Ecuadorean media shows officials denying the ICE agent access and emphasizing that the consulate is a foreign government's office.
Ecuador's swift protest underscores a rare note of discord between its president, Daniel Noboa, and the Trump administration, particularly following recent agreements aimed at strengthening economic relationships.
