The government of Peru announced Monday that it is severing diplomatic relations with Mexico after the latter granted political asylum to former Prime Minister Betssy Chávez, who faces trial for her role in the failed 2022 coup attempt led by ex-president Pedro Castillo.
Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela confirmed the decision during a press conference at Torre Tagle, calling Mexico’s move an “unfriendly act” that forced Lima to cut bilateral ties. “We received this news with surprise and deep regret,” he said.
De Zela accused Mexico of “creating a parallel reality” about the events surrounding the attempted coup, spreading “biased and ideologized versions.” He added that under both Andrés Manuel López Obrador and current president Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico has portrayed those charged as “victims.”
“Mexico persists in its mistaken and unacceptable position, which has forced Peru to break diplomatic relations with a nation we once considered fraternal,” he stated.
However, De Zela emphasized that consular relations would continue. “Our compatriots in Mexico will remain under the protection of our consulates, and Mexican citizens in Peru will be protected by their own consular authorities,” he clarified.
Asked about possible consequences for Peruvian citizens, De Zela said he expected none unless the Sheinbaum government imposed unilateral restrictions. “It is Peru’s will to maintain these ties to safeguard our nationals,” he added.
Interim President José Jerí announced that Mexico’s chargé d’affaires in Lima, Karla Ornelas, had been given a deadline to leave the country.
From Mexico City, the Mexican government rejected Lima’s decision as “excessive and disproportionate,” arguing that granting asylum is a legitimate act under international law and not an interference in another nation’s internal affairs.
Tensions between the two countries date back to 2022, when then-President López Obrador labeled Peru’s president Dina Boluarte a “usurper” following Castillo’s removal from office. Diplomatic relations have since been limited to the level of chargés d’affaires.
The rift also disrupted the Pacific Alliance’s rotating presidency. In 2023, López Obrador refused to transfer the bloc’s leadership to Peru, sparking a regional dispute that was later resolved through Chile’s mediation.
While the rupture will strain political, economic, and tourism links, consular services will remain operational to protect the rights of both Peruvian and Mexican citizens living abroad.
In April 2024, Mexico reinstated visa requirements for Peruvians in response to rising irregular migration to North America. Lima, invoking reciprocity, imposed the same measure on Mexican visitors. Both countries had lifted such restrictions in 2012 to boost tourism and trade.
In September, Peru’s Foreign Affairs Commission declared Claudia Sheinbaum persona non grata over her statements supporting Castillo, calling them an “interference in Peru’s internal affairs and an insult to its democratic system.”
Nonetheless, Sheinbaum reaffirmed her stance. “This is a policy that began under President López Obrador. We maintain the same position, and we will continue to do so,” she said during her morning press conference.
The move by Peru to cut ties with Mexico marks a new escalation in regional tensions, underscoring deep political divides that are likely to persist as both countries navigate the fallout from the Castillo crisis.
