A significant diplomatic incident has unfolded between Ecuador and the United States following an attempted entry by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent into Ecuador’s consular facility in Minneapolis. Ecuador’s foreign ministry issued a formal condemnation, stating that consular officials prevented the agent from accessing the premises to ensure the protection of Ecuadorian citizens inside the building.
The confrontation occurred at approximately 11:00 local time on Tuesday, with Ecuadorian officials citing the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations which designates consular premises as ‘inviolable.’ The convention explicitly prohibits host country authorities from entering consular working areas without consent from the consular post’s head—consent that Ecuador maintains was neither given nor assumed in this instance.
Unverified video footage circulating in Ecuadorian media appears to show a tense exchange where a consular official blocks the ICE agent’s access, repeatedly stating ‘this is the consulate, you’re not allowed in here.’ The agent responds with a warning that physical contact would result in detention attempts.
This incident creates unexpected diplomatic friction between the Trump administration and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, who has generally maintained strong bilateral relations. Just two months prior, both leaders had agreed to strengthen commercial ties, and Noboa had previously expressed gratitude for the U.S. designation of Ecuadorian criminal gangs as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
The consular confrontation occurs amid heightened tensions in Minneapolis following the fatal shootings of two individuals, including intensive care nurse Alex Pretti, by border agents during immigration protests. President Trump recently announced he would ‘de-escalate immigration and border operations a little bit’ in Minnesota, where approximately 3,000 immigration agents are currently deployed.
The Ecuadorian government has delivered an official letter of protest to the U.S. embassy in Quito, marking a rare diplomatic challenge between the two nations as the Trump administration continues its prioritized enforcement of strict immigration policies that have resulted in over 675,000 removals according to recent Homeland Security statements.