On April 5, 2024, a diplomatic crisis was sparked between Ecuador and Mexico due to comments made by the Mexican President about the assassination of a presidential candidate in Ecuador. The Government in Quito declared the Mexican ambassador, Raquel Serur Smeke, persona non grata on the evening of April 4, with plans for the diplomat to be swiftly recalled to Mexico.

Mexico's left-wing head of State, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, had previously insinuated that the murder of politician Fernando Villavicencio in Ecuador last August played a role in the electoral victory of the current President, Daniel Noboa. The Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry described López Obrador's statements as "very unfortunate."

Ecuador is battling international organised crime, which poses a significant challenge to the State and its democratic institutions. Gang violence is among the numerous issues confronting the South American country located on the Pacific coast. Villavicencio was assassinated 11 days before the first round of the presidential election in Ecuador. The subsequent run-off polls in October were won by Daniel Noboa against left-wing politician Luisa González, a member of ex-president Rafael Correa's camp, who shares ideological similarities with López Obrador.

López Obrador's comments were triggered by the politically motivated violence that is currently rampant in Mexico. In the lead-up to the presidential, parliamentary, and regional elections scheduled for June 2, 15 candidates have already been killed in the country, which has a population of approximately 130 million.

The Mexican President is ineligible for re-election, as per the constitution. López Obrador has frequently clashed with presidents from right-wing camps in Latin America, most recently with the ultra-libertarian Javier Milei from Argentina.