Peruvian Congress votes to declare Mexico's president persona non grata after asylum offer

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LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru’s Congress on Thursday declared Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum persona non grata after Mexico decided to grant asylum to former Peruvian Prime Minister Betssy Chávez, in what Peruvian officials called repeated interference in the South American country’s internal affairs.

The legislative decision was adopted with 63 votes in favor, 34 against and two absentee votes, after a debate in which right-wing congressmen argued that Sheinbaum has maintained a hostile position towards Peru since she took office in 2024 by backing former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo.

Castillo, who ordered the dissolution of Parliament in December 2022, was removed from office and remains in detention on charges of alleged rebellion and conspiracy.

Mexico's Foreign Affairs Ministry said later Thursday that the congressional action was based on “false assertions.”

“Mexico has not intervened in any way in Peru's internal affairs,” the ministry said in a statement.

On Monday, Peru’s interim President José Jerí severed diplomatic relations with Mexico over Sheinbaum’s decision to grant asylum to Chávez, who is being prosecuted for the attempted dissolution of Congress in 2022 led by Castillo. The Peruvian Attorney General’s Office is seeking a sentence of up to 25 years in prison for Chávez, who served as Castillo’s prime minister.

Peru has not yet granted the safe passage that would allow Chávez to leave the country and is analyzing a legal response while she remains in the Mexican diplomatic residence.

“We support the government that has broken relations with Mexico,” said Congress President Fernando Rospigliosi after the debate.

Rospigliosi said that Parliament would debate barring Chávez from holding any public office.

The Mexican government has said it regretted Peru’s decision to break off diplomatic relations, noting Mexico granted asylum to the former Peruvian prime minister in compliance with international law.

“Mexico rejects Peru’s unilateral decision as excessive and disproportionate in response to a legitimate act by Mexico consistent with international law, which in no way constitutes intervention in Peru’s internal affairs,” Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Monday in a statement.

According to the legislative motion approved Thursday, the Mexican government has ignored the constitutional process that led to Castillo’s dismissal and his replacement with Dina Boluarte, and Sheinbaum's statements constitute an unacceptable interference in Peru’s internal affairs.

Boluarte herself was removed from office by Peru's Congress in October over rising crime in the nation.

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