Peruvian lawmakers said Mexico’s president was unwelcome in the country on Thursday, escalating a diplomatic row as it weighs whether to grant safe passage to Mexico to an opposition politician holed up at the Mexican embassy in Lima.
Peru’s Congress voted to declare President Claudia Sheinbaum a “persona non grata” days after its government severed diplomatic ties with Mexico for granting asylum to Betssy Chavez, the last prime minister for Peru’s ousted and now jailed former President Pedro Castillo.
Mexico’s government said in a statement it rejected the declaration and had offered Chavez asylum in strict accordance with international law, and rejected Peru’s allegation that it constituted an “unfriendly act”.
Peruvian Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela told Reuters that legal experts are urgently reviewing the “1954 Caracas Convention,” which Mexico invoked to justify the asylum.
“It’s an analysis we’ve asked to be done quickly, but with the necessary care to do it well,” said De Zela, who was tapped as foreign minister last month by Peru’s new President Jose Jeri after assuming office.
Relations between the two countries have been strained since Mexico granted asylum to Castillo’s wife and children following his arrest. Castillo is awaiting sentencing.
De Zela said a final decision on Chavez is expected by the end of the week.
Chavez is facing charges of conspiracy for her alleged role in Castillo’s 2022 attempt to dissolve Congress. Prosecutors are seeking a 25-year prison sentence for her.
Mexico is also facing tensions with Peru’s neighbor Ecuador. It granted asylum to a former prime minister last year but Ecuadorean security forces stormed the embassy to arrest him, causing Mexico to break off diplomatic relations.
TROUBLED RELATIONS
Peru said it broke relations with Mexico due to the “unfriendly act” of the northern country granting asylum to Chavez.
“We are interested in having good relations with all countries in the region… provided it is clearly understood that there cannot be interference in internal affairs,” De Zela said.
Chavez, who has denied the charges against her, had been imprisoned since June 2023 and was released by a judge in September of this year to prepare her defense while at liberty.
“Mexico has constructed a kind of parallel reality where there is a political persecution that does not exist,” De Zela said.
Despite the break in formal relations, officials are working to minimize the impact on their economic partnership, the foreign minister added.
As members of the Pacific Alliance trade bloc, the countries share significant commercial and tourism ties, with bilateral trade totaling over $2.5 billion last year.
(Reuters)