Mexico remains firm regarding asylum for Bolivians

Mexico today stands firm in its position under international law to grant asylum to the nine Bolivian refugees at its diplomatic headquarters in La Paz, despite the police siege.

On his Twitter account, Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard ratified the government's stance in the face of excessive surveillance and intimidation of the country's diplomatic staff in Bolivia.

'The Mexican position is and will continue to be that diplomatic immunity and the integrity of embassies and facilities representing our country in Bolivia must be respected,' the foreign minister wrote on his Twitter account.

In another statement, the Mexican Embassy in Bolivia reported that in addition to 'excessive surveillance' around the diplomatic headquarters and the official residence, drones have also been identified flying over the premises. They are recording images and sound, which would be an undue interference in Mexico's internal affairs, the statement added.

Mexico again ratified its stance to the de facto Bolivian Foreign Ministry, thus following up on the statement presented on December 23 regarding this excessive surveillance, in which Mexican authorities denounce that that same day military personnel attempted to search the official vehicle in which the Mexican ambassador was traveling.

'The Mexican State considers that the actions taken by the Bolivian authorities, as well as their omissions, could constitute violations of the international obligations assumed by the Plurinational State of Bolivia,' the Foreign Secretariat reiterated.

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