Peru’s government on Monday said it had cut off diplomatic relations with Mexico for granting asylum to a former prime minister being investigated over the alleged 2022 coup attempt by then-Peruvian president Pedro Castillo.
“Today we learned with surprise and deep regret that former prime minister Betssy Chavez, the alleged coauthor of the coup attempt by former president Pedro Castillo, is being granted asylum at the Mexican embassy residence in Peru,” Peruvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugo de Zela told a news conference.
“Given this unfriendly act, and considering the repeated instances in which the current and former presidents of that country have interfered in Peru’s internal affairs, the Peruvian government has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Mexico today,” he added.
Photo: AP
The move drew fierce criticism from Mexico City, with the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing a statement describing Peru’s decision as “excessive and disproportionate in response to a legitimate act by Mexico and in accordance with international law.”
Castillo, a former rural schoolteacher and trade unionist dubbed Peru’s “first poor president,” was impeached by Congress in December 2022 after his attempt to dissolve Congress following a months-long standoff. Relations between Lima and Mexico deteriorated sharply over Castillo’s ouster.
Peru expelled Mexico’s ambassador after Mexico granted asylum to Castillo’s wife and children.
Photo: AP
Castillo’s successor, now former president Dina Boluarte, also temporarily recalled Peru’s ambassador to Mexico City, accusing then Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of meddling in her country’s affairs for expressing support for Castillo.
Castillo was on his way to the Mexican embassy in Lima to request asylum together with his family when he was arrested, and charged with rebellion and abuse of authority.
Chavez was charged alongside him, and the pair went on trial in March.
While Castillo has been in preventive custody since his impeachment, Chavez was released on bail.
Prosecutors had sought a 25-year prison term for Chavez for allegedly participating in Castillo’s plan to dissolve Congress. They have sought a 34-year sentence for Castillo.
Castillo denies the charges, saying he never took up arms against the state because the military refused to obey his orders.
CALL FOR SUPPORT: President William Lai called on lawmakers across party lines to ensure the livelihood of Taiwanese and that national security is protected President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday called for bipartisan support for Taiwan’s investment in self-defense capabilities at the christening and launch of two coast guard vessels at CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard in Kaohsiung. The Taipei (台北) is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels, and the Siraya (西拉雅) is the Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) first-ever ocean patrol vessel, the government said. The Taipei is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels with a displacement of about 4,000 tonnes, Lai said. This ship class was ordered as a result of former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) 2018
UKRAINE, NVIDIA: The US leader said the subject of Russia’s war had come up ‘very strongly,’ while Jenson Huang was hoping that the conversation was good Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and US President Donald Trump had differing takes following their meeting in Busan, South Korea, yesterday. Xi said that the two sides should complete follow-up work as soon as possible to deliver tangible results that would provide “peace of mind” to China, the US and the rest of the world, while Trump hailed the “great success” of the talks. The two discussed trade, including a deal to reduce tariffs slapped on China for its role in the fentanyl trade, as well as cooperation in ending the war in Ukraine, among other issues, but they did not mention
HOTEL HIRING: An official said that hoteliers could begin hiring migrant workers next year, but must adhere to a rule requiring a NT$2,000 salary hike for Taiwanese The government is to allow the hospitality industry to recruit mid-level migrant workers for housekeeping and three other lines of work after the Executive Yuan yesterday approved a proposal by the Ministry of Labor. A shortage of workers at hotels and accommodation facilities was discussed at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee. A 2023 survey conducted by the Tourism Administration found that Taiwan’s lodging industry was short of about 6,600 housekeeping and cleaning workers, the agency said in a report to the committee. The shortage of workers in the industry is being studied, the report said. Hotel and Lodging Division Deputy Director Cheng
TOKYO SUMMIT: The new Japanese PM’s words have demonstrated Japan’s ‘firm position on urging the prioritization of cross-strait peace,’ the foreign ministry said Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday thanked US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for supporting peace in the Taiwan Strait, a day after the two at a summit in Tokyo emphasized the importance of regional stability and ahead of a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in South Korea today. The previous day’s meeting was the first time Takaichi had met with the US leader since becoming Japanese prime minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Since taking office on Tuesday last week, Takaichi has urged the international community to
RSS