Peru’s Congress declares Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum persona non grata after Mexico grants asylum to former prime minister Betssy Chavez.
Peru’s Congress voted on Thursday to declare Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum persona non grata after Mexico granted asylum to former Peruvian Prime Minister Betssy Chavez, who is facing trial for her alleged role in a 2022 coup attempt.
Tensions between the two countries deepened this week after Mexico approved asylum for Chavez, prompting Peru to sever diplomatic ties. The move marks another flashpoint in a relationship that has been strained since the ouster of ex-president Pedro Castillo nearly two years ago.
The resolution against Sheinbaum passed in a 63–33 vote in Peru’s single-chamber Congress. Lawmakers accused the Mexican leader of “interfering in Peru’s internal affairs” by offering political refuge to Chavez.
“It has been clearly established that Sheinbaum interfered in our country’s affairs, not only in words but through action,” said Fernando Rospigliosi, the acting president of Congress.
But opposition voices criticized the decision. Socialist lawmaker Jaime Quito called it “another international embarrassment,” saying Peru was “breaking relations with our sister country, Mexico.”
The crisis escalated after interim president Jose Jeri ordered Mexico’s top diplomat in Lima to leave the country within a strict deadline.
Relations between Lima and Mexico have deteriorated since December 2022, when then-president Pedro Castillo, Peru’s first leader from a working-class background, was arrested while attempting to dissolve Congress and flee to the Mexican embassy for asylum.
Castillo and Chavez are both facing lengthy prison terms, prosecutors are seeking 34 years for Castillo and 25 years for Chavez, for alleged rebellion and abuse of authority.
Chavez, who was freed on bail earlier this year, is currently staying at the Mexican ambassador’s residence in Lima, while Mexico has requested safe passage for her travel.
The diplomatic standoff underscores a broader political divide in Latin America, pitting left-leaning governments like Mexico’s against conservative-leaning administrations such as Peru’s.
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