Trending 
Peru’s Congress voted on Thursday to declare Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum persona non grata following Mexico’s decision to grant asylum to former Peruvian prime minister Betssy Chavez, who is on trial for allegedly supporting a 2022 coup attempt.
Diplomatic tensions between the two countries, already strained for years, escalated on Monday when Mexico offered asylum to Chavez, prompting Peru to sever formal diplomatic ties. Chávez had served as Peru’s prime minister in December 2022, during the ousting of then-president Pedro Castillo, who attempted to dissolve Congress amid a prolonged political standoff.
The motion against Sheinbaum was approved by a 63-33 vote in Congress, which recently also removed Castillo’s unpopular successor, Dina Boluarte.
Fernando Rospigliosi, the right-wing acting president of Congress, argued that Sheinbaum had clearly interfered in Peru’s internal affairs “not only in words” but also through granting asylum to Chavez.
Follow ing the diplomatic rupture, interim president Jose Jeri announced on Monday night that Mexico’s top diplomat in Lima had been given a “strict deadline to leave” the country.
Relations between Lima and Mexico have deteriorated sharply since Castillo, a former rural teacher and trade unionist often called Peru’s “first poor president,” was removed from office.
In December 2022, Castillo attempted to seek asylum at the Mexican embassy in Lima with his family but was arrested and charged with rebellion and abuse of authority. Chávez faced similar charges, and both were put on trial in March.
While Castillo has remained in preventive detention since his impeachment, Chavez was released on bail and has taken refuge at the Mexican ambassador’s residence while Peru’s Foreign Ministry considers her request for safe passage to Mexico.
Prosecutors are seeking a 25-year sentence for Chavez and 34 years for Castillo, alleging their involvement in the attempted coup.
