Mexico Gives Nature To The Family Of Former President Castillo, Peru Restricts Ambassador Pablo Monroy: Gived 3x24 Hours

Ambassador Pablo Monroy (center) with staff of the Mexican Embassy in Peru. (Twitter/@pmonroyconesa)

JAKARTA - Peru named the Mexican Ambassador in Lima a 'non-grafty persona' status and ordered him to leave the country, in an announcement made by the foreign minister on Tuesday, the latest increase in tensions between the two countries, following the ouster of President Pedro Castillo.

The sudden expulsion decision, a crackdown on diplomacy, only gives the envoy 3x24 hours to leave Peru.

The Peru Government's decision comes hours after top Mexican diplomats announced their country had granted asylum to the Castillo family, who faced charges of insurgency from behind bars after trying what critics called a coup on December 7.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru posted on social media that the expulsion of Mexican Ambassador Pablo Monroy was caused by "repetitive statements from the country's highest authority regarding the political situation in Peru," a covert reference for support given by Mexican President to fellow left-handed Castillo, since his impeachment by MPs and later detained.

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard in his post on Twitter Tuesday night, denounced Monroy's expulsion, ridiculed him as "un justifiable and despicable."

Me informa Pablo Monroy Embajador en Lima que el Gobierno de Perú le ha fijado 72 hrs para salir del país. Encuentro esa decisión infundada y reprobable. La conducta de nuestro embajador ha estado apegada a derecho y al principio de no intervención.México no variará su posición.

— Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) December 21, 2022

Speaking at a press conference earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Ebrard said the government was negotiating safe travel for the Castillo family, who are inside the Mexican Embassy in Lima.

Meanwhile, Ana Cecilia Gervasi, Peruvian foreign minister, announced on Tuesday that safe travel for Castillo's wife and the two couple's children had been officially approved.

Last week, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador sharply criticized Castillo's removal as undemocratic, stressing that he continues to recognize Castillo as Peru's legitimate leader.

Neither Mexican nor Peru officials have set a deadline for when Lilia Paredes, Castillo's wife, nor their children, will travel to Mexico.

Separately, the Mexican government, along with left-wing Argentina, Bolivia, and Colombia, issued a joint statement declaring Castillo a victim of "undemocratic harassment" last week.

A few days later, the week-old government of President Dina Bouarte, who previously served as vice president Castillo, called Peru's ambassador to consult on what he boasted of as unacceptable interference in the country's internal affairs.

Also on Tuesday, Peru's court canceled a request from prosecutors to prohibit Paredes from leaving the country. He is being investigated on suspicion of involvement in a money laundering network that could also involve Castillo.

"Mexico protects corruptors," opposition legislator Peru Maria dellaya Alva told reporters on Tuesday.

It is known that shortly after his attempt to dissolve Congress, Castillo himself tried to flee to the Mexican Embassy, but was detained by police before he arrived.

Meanwhile, President Lopez Obrador has often said his government prioritizes non-intervention in domestic affairs of other countries, but he has deviated from that principle when it comes to ideological allies in Latin America.