Peru Sets Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum "Non-Grata Person"

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. (Wikimedia Commons/Eneas De Troya)

JAKARTA - A member of the Peruvian Parliament on Thursday named Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum unacceptable in the country, raising diplomatic rows as the country considered whether to provide a safe trip to Mexico to an opposition politician hiding at the Mexican Embassy in Lima.

The Peruvian Congress voted to declare President Claudia Sheinbaum a "non-graft persona" days after its government cut diplomatic ties with Mexico, for granting asylum to Betssy Chavez, the last prime minister for ousted former Peruvian President and is now imprisoned, Pedro Castillo.

The Mexican government said in a statement it rejected the declaration and had offered Chavez asylum in accordance with international law, and rejected Peru's accusations that it was an "unfriendly act".

Peruvian Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela told Reuters legal experts were immediately reviewing the 1954 Caracas Convention, which Mexico used to justify the asylum.

"This is an analysis we ask to do quickly, but with the caution needed to do well," said De Zela, who was appointed secretary of state last month by new President of Peru Jose Jeri.

Previously, relations between the two countries had been strained since Mexico granted asylum to Castillo's wives and children after his arrest. Castillo is awaiting a verdict.

De Zela said the final decision on Chavez is expected to come out by the end of this week.

Chavez faces charges of conspiracy over his alleged role in Castillo's efforts to dissolve Congress. Prosecutors demanded 25 years in prison for him.

Separately, Mexico is also facing tensions with neighboring Peru, Ecuador. The country granted asylum to the former prime minister last year, but Ecuadorian security forces stormed the embassy to arrest it, causing Mexico to cut diplomatic ties.

Peru said it had cut ties with Mexico because of the "unfriendly actions" of the northern country that granted Chavez asylum.

"We are interested in establishing good relations with all countries in the region as long as it is understood clearly that there should be no interference in domestic affairs," said De Zela.

Chavez, who has denied charges against him, has been jailed since June 2023 and released by a judge in September this year to prepare his defense while on the loose.

"Mexico has built a kind of parallel reality where there is political oppression that doesn't actually exist," said De Zela.

Despite the formal termination of relations, officials are trying to minimize its impact on their economic partnerships, the foreign minister added.

It is known, as a member of the Pacific Alliance trading bloc, the two countries have significant trade and tourism ties, with a total bilateral trade of more than 2.5 billion US dollars last year.