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Is Julian Assange’s stay at the Embassy of Ecuador over?

The Ecuadorian government has been negotiating with the United Kingdom a possible exit of the WikiLeaks founder of the diplomatic representation

Is Julian Assange's stay at the Embassy of Ecuador over?

Leer en español: ¿Se le acaba la estadía a Julian Assange en la Embajada de Ecuador?

The newly appointed Ecuadorian chancellor, José Valencia, said on Wednesday, June 13, that his country is looking for a no traumatic way out to solve the situation of the Australian activist and founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange. This week in the Embassy of Ecuador in London have been officials of the Australian government, so it is presumed that the stay of the founder of WikiLeaks in this would end soon.

Also read: Why did Ecuador grant citizenship to WikiLeaks founder?

Ecuador seeks to negotiate the exit of Assange from its Embassy

In statements to journalists from the chancellery in Ecuador, Valencia said that an agreement is being sought with the English authorities to allow Julian Assange to leave the embassy and not to find major problems, both with the English national law and with international law.

Although Ecuador has sought by legal means to provide an improvement situation for Assange, it has not been possible. The embassy tried to grant him Ecuadorian citizenship, so it could then link him as a diplomat of the embassy. However, this request was denied by the English government.

Assange's lawyer, Medina Taylor, assures that at this moment "there is fear that Ecuador will revoke Assange's protection due to external pressures that have come from third parties, in case the asylum is revoked, Assange could be involved in a process of extradition to the United States", the lawyer told EFE on Sunday, June 16.

"In legal terms, Ecuador has recognized Assange's right to asylum, so it cannot ask him to leave the embassy without first obtaining guarantees that the United Kingdom will maintain that right, or that it will ensure his protection against a surrender to United States", said Taylor when asked about the negotiation between Ecuador and the United Kingdom.

For Kellie Tranter, of the Independent Journal of Australia and who has investigated the case in depth, the situation of Assange is reaching a dead end. "Ecuador no longer wants him in its embassy due to the problems that he has brought, the international pressure increases with respect to all the cables that WikiLeaks announced, England does not see an easy negotiated exit, Australia is looking to help a national of the country, but it does not find a way in which Assange is benefited, and the United States although it is not a direct part of the game, it is pending to request his extradition", Tranter explained that from the office of the Australian Foreign Minister, Julian Bishop, is seeking legal advice, but that the country understands that providing excessive protection can cause problems with other countries.

Also read: Assange and Catalonia: problems for Moreno

Assange has closed himself almost every opportunity

The presence of the founder of WikiLeaks in the Ecuadorian embassy has generated tensions for the government of the South American country due to the permanent activity and Assange's statements about international politics and sensitive issues. The situation has embarrassed the Ecuadorian hosts. After publishing messages against Germany and in defense of Catalan separatism, contradicting an express request of the Ecuadorian government to avoid public pronouncements, Ecuador decided to withdraw Assange all access to internet and telephony.

José Valencia was appointed chancellor on Tuesday June 12 by President Lenin Moreno in replacement of Maria Fernanda Espinosa, who submitted her resignation after being elected president of the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization.

 

Latin American Post | Carlos Eduardo Gómez Avella
Translated from “¿Se le acaba la estadía a Assange en la Embajada?”

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