The government of Ecuador has condemned what it described as an attempt by a U.S. 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 U.S. 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 that 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. According to the Convention, the authorities of the country where the consulate is located shall not enter the parts of the consulate used for work except with the consent of the head of the consular post.
Ecuador confirmed that its officials had not consented to ICE entering the consulate, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the integrity of its diplomatic missions.
This protest letter to the U.S. embassy highlights an unusual point of contention between Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa and the Trump administration, despite their previous agreements to bolster economic relations.
Video evidence from Ecuadorean media, which has not been independently verified, shows a consular official confronting an ICE agent at the entrance, asserting their right to deny entry.
