Mexico releases video of Ecuador's raid on its embassy

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico released security camera video Tuesday of the moments when Ecuadorian authorities forced their way into Mexico’s embassy, pushed a Mexican diplomat to the ground and carried out Ecuador’s former vice president who had been holed up there.

The action Friday night greatly escalated tensions between the two countries, which had already been tussling since ex-Vice President Jorge Glas, a convicted criminal and fugitive, took refuge at Mexico’s embassy in December.

Ecuadorian police scaled the embassy walls and broke into the building Friday. Roberto Canseco, Mexico’s head of consular affairs and the highest ranking diplomat present since Ecuador expelled the ambassador earlier in the week, tried to keep them from entering, even pushing a large cabinet in front of a door.

But police restrained him and pushed him to the floor as they carried Glas out.

Mexico, as well as experts, say it appeared to be a blatant violation of international accords. Mexico broke off diplomatic relations with the country in response. Leaders across Latin America condemned Ecuador’s actions as a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

At his daily news briefing Tuesday, Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador played the security video and said it showed the “authoritarian and vile” way police had raided the embassy.

López Obrador criticized North American allies Canada and the United States for what he said was not speaking out forcefully enough against the raid. Mexico has said it plans to file a formal complaint with the International Court of Justice.

Later Tuesday, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan appeared to voice a stronger rejection of Ecuador's actions.

“We condemn this violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, including the use of force against embassy officials,” Sullivan said during Tuesday's press briefing. “We’ve reviewed the security camera footage from the Mexican embassy and believe these actions were wrong. The Ecuadorian government disregarded its obligations under international law as a host state to respect the inviolability of diplomatic missions and jeopardized the foundation of basic diplomatic norms and relationships.”

The Organization of American States discussed the dispute Tuesday as well.

Ecuador's Deputy Minister of Human Mobility Alejandro Dávalos told OAS representatives gathered in Washington, D.C. that Glas did not meet the requisites to merit receiving asylum from Mexico and could not be considered politically persecuted.

But Secretary General Luis Almagro noted that “the use of force, the illegal incursion into a diplomatic mission, nor the detention of an asylee are the peaceful way toward resolution of this situation.” He said Ecuador’s actions could not be allowed to set a precedent.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Police break into the Mexican embassy in Quito, Ecuador, Friday, April 5, 2024. The raid took place hours after the Mexican government granted former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas political asylum. (AP Photo/David Bustillos)

A military vehicle transports former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas from the detention center where he was held after police broke into the Mexican Embassy to arrest him in Quito, Ecuador, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Glas, who held the vice presidency of Ecuador between 2013 and 2018, was convicted of corruption and had been taking refuge in the embassy since December. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa).

A vehicle drives in reverse into the Mexican embassy in Quito, Ecuador, Friday, April 5, 2024. Ecuadorian police officers forcibly broke into the embassy where former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas was holed up, just hours after the Mexican government had granted him political asylum. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)

Police attempt to break into the Mexican embassy in Quito, Ecuador, Friday, April 5, 2024, following Mexico's granting of asylum to former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas, who had sought refuge there. Police later forcibly broke into the embassy through another entrance. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)

Police break into the Mexican embassy in Quito, Ecuador, Friday, April 5, 2024. The raid took place hours after the Mexican government granted former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas political asylum. (AP Photo/David Bustillos)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded not guilty Tuesday to bank and tax fraud, a formality ahead of a plea deal he’s negotiated with federal prosecutors in a wide-ranging sports betting case.

Prosecutors say Ippei Mizuhara stole nearly $17 million from the Ohtani to pay off sports gambling debts during a yearslong scheme, at times impersonating Ohtani to bankers, and exploited his personal and professional relationship with the two-way player. Mizuhara signed a plea agreement that detailed the allegations on May 5, and prosecutors announced it several days later.

During his arraignment Tuesday in federal court in Los Angeles, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jean P. Rosenbluth asked Mizuhara to enter a plea to one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. The expected not-guilty plea was a procedural step as the case moves forward, even though he has already agreed to a plea deal. He is expected to plead guilty at a later date.

There was no evidence Ohtani was involved in or aware of Mizuhara’s gambling, and the player is cooperating with investigators, authorities said.

Mizuhara's plea agreement says he will be required to pay Ohtani restitution that could total nearly $17 million, as well as more than $1 million to the IRS. Those amounts could change prior to sentencing. The bank fraud charge carries a maximum of 30 years in federal prison, and the false tax return charge carries a sentence of up to three years in federal prison.

Mizuhara’s winning bets totaled over $142 million, which he deposited in his own bank account and not Ohtani’s. But his losing bets were around $183 million, a net loss of nearly $41 million. He did not wager on baseball.

He has been free on an unsecured $25,000 bond, colloquially known as a signature bond, meaning he did not have to put up any cash or collateral to be freed. If he violates the bond conditions — which include a requirement to undergo gambling addiction treatment — he will be on the hook for $25,000.

The Los Angeles Times and ESPN broke the news of the prosecution in late March, prompting the Dodgers to fire the interpreter and the MLB to open its own investigation.

MLB rules prohibit players and team employees from wagering on baseball, even legally. MLB also bans betting on other sports with illegal or offshore bookmakers.

Ohtani has sought to focus on the field as the case winds through the courts. Hours after his ex-interpreter first appeared in court in April, he hit his 175th home run in MLB — tying Hideki Matsui for the most by a Japan-born player — during the Dodgers’ 8-7 loss to the San Diego Padres in 11 innings.

FILE - Interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, left, stands behind Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani, front right, and translates during an interview at Dodger Stadium, Feb. 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Ohtani, is expected to plead not guilty Tuesday, May 14, 2024, to bank and tax fraud, a formality ahead of a deal he has negotiated with federal prosecutors in a sports betting case. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

FILE - Interpreter Ippei Mizuhara listens during a baseball news conference at Dodger Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Los Angeles. Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, is expected to plead not guilty Tuesday, May 14, 2024, to bank and tax fraud, a formality ahead of a deal he has negotiated with federal prosecutors in a sports betting case. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)