Former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo has formally requested asylum in Mexico from the country’s Ambassador to Peru, Pablo Monroy. The formalization of the request was confirmed in a Twitter post by Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.
According to the Chancellor, the request was made by Castillo in a letter sent to the Mexican embassy early yesterday and addressed to Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
With the text in hand, Ebrard wrote that his team has “initiated consultations with Peruvian authorities.”
Castillo’s letter to Mexico says he was the victim of political persecution by the Peruvian justice system.
“These bodies have created an atmosphere of extreme untenability and purely political persecution against anyone who thinks differently from the oligarchic group that dominates all institutions in the country,” says Metin.
On Wednesday night (7), the Mexican government had already announced that it was willing to grant asylum to Peru’s former president if he made a request.
Peru’s new president, Dina Boluarte, at a press conference yesterday, ruled out the possibility of bringing the country’s elections forward. He took office after Castillo’s attempted coup, which threatened to dissolve the National Congress, was accused of “moral incompetence” and arrested.
Dina said the demand for the new election was democratic, but her role was to “redirect the country”. Dina Boluarte’s term as president will only expire in July 2026.
I know that there are those who point to the postponement of the elections. That’s democratically respectable, but I believe assuming the presidency right now is a bit of a reorientation of what to do with the country.
Peru’s new president, Dina Boluarte
“The conditions under which I assumed this responsibility were not good, and therefore I am dispatching and serving to meet the needs of the country,” said the President. “Further on, we will look at alternatives to improve the country’s destiny.”
Castillo is accused of leading a criminal organization allegedly responsible for defrauding the public works concession. It is also being investigated for crimes against public administration, including money laundering, fraud and influence trading. According to Peru’s Attorney General, the plan was devised by Castillo’s relatives and political allies.
Boluarte has become the seventh politician to hold the presidency since 2016.
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.