Political crisis in Peru: Mexican ambassador declared persona non grata and given 72 hours to leave the country

The diplomatic tension between the government of the new president of Peru, Dina Bolarte and the government of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) in Mexicoit reached its highest point when this Tuesday The Peruvian foreign minister has declared the Mexican ambassador a “persona non grata”. and gave him a period of 72 hours to leave the country in the midst of political asylum negotiations for the former president’s family Peter Castillo.

“The government of Peru has declared the Mexican ambassador to Peru, Mr. Pablo Monroy Conesa, persona non grata due to the repeated expressions of that country’s highest authorities regarding the political situation in Peru,” said Peruvian Foreign Minister Ana Cecilia Gervasi.

“To date, Mr. Monroy has been given a diplomatic note in which he is informed that he has 72 hours to leave the national territory,” added the Peruvian foreign minister, who had several meetings with the Mexican ambassador.

“This decision is based on the relevant provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” Gervasi added.

This Tuesday, the Mexican foreign minister Marcellus Ebrard confirmed that the relatives of former president Pedro Castillo, who attempted a self-coup on December 7, was deposed and arrested, are at the Mexican embassy in Lima.

“Asylum has already been granted because they are in Mexican territory. That is, they are in our embassy and when they are in the embassy you grant them asylum. It is an independent and sovereign decision of Mexico. Now what is being negotiated is safe conduct for that, if they want to leave, they can do it and come to Mexico,” Ebrard said.

AMLO’s foreign minister said they were waiting for safe conduct to travel to Mexico, although he did not confirm who Castillo’s relatives with asylum are.

“Unacceptable Interference”

Previously, Peru’s foreign minister had remarked that a group of countries have committed “unacceptable interference” in the country’s internal affairs and have a speech “far from reality”, after the political and social crisis unleashed 13 days ago after the failed Own coup by Pedro Castillo.

“In the midst of the situation generated by December 7, the international community witnessed the meddling in Peru’s internal affairs by a small group of countries who presented a speech far from reality,” Gervasi said at the closing ceremony of the academic year of the Diplomatic Academy.

He then underlined that this group “is not aware of the application of our constitutional and legal system”.

“In the same way that Peru demands respect and non-interference in its internal affairs, it will continue to be faithful to its tradition as a country committed to the full validity of international law and respecting its international obligations under the leadership of the Constitutional President of the Republic Dina Boluarte,” he said.

The foreign minister also underlined that it is “particularly sensitive” that in a context that requires the strengthening of Latin American integration, “partners close to Peru disturb traditionally constructive relations and mutual respect” or that could affect cooperation plans.

The foreign minister maintained that, in the face of “this unacceptable interference”, diplomatic measures based on the principle of gradualness were adopted, but did not specify the countries to which he referred.