The Ecuadorian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Holguin announced on Monday, March 14, 2023 that a former minister convicted for corruption reasons has fled. She had taken refuge in the Argentine embassy in Quito. The minister calls on Argentina to provide explanations.

In a statement, Argentina's Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero told his Ecuadorian counterpart, Juan Carlos Holguin, that “Maria Duarte escaped from the Argentine Embassy in Quito.” According to the statement, after being sentenced to eight years in prison for corruption by the Ecuadorian courts, Maria Duarte took refuge in the Argentine embassy in Quito in August 2020 before fleeing. The Argentine ambassador, Gabriel Fuks, was “immediately summoned” to provide “more details.”

Maria Duarte was Minister of Transport and Public Works. According to the prosecutor's office, she was convicted for her role in a scheme set up to pay nearly $7.6 million in bribes to companies, in exchange for contracts with the state. According to Carlos Holguin, “Ecuador called on Argentina to provide explanations and demanded the transmission of information.” He therefore informs that he “will take the most appropriate measures in the face of this incident.”