Peru’s Congress has approved a measure to symbolically exclude Claudia Sheinbaum, the President of Mexico, from entering the country. The vote was very much a measure of support for a plan, passing 63-34. This decision comes in reaction to Sheinbaum’s government granting asylum to former Peruvian Prime Minister Betssy Chavez, who is facing significant legal challenges back in Peru.
Chavez eventually sought asylum in the Mexican embassy in Lima. She fled to avoid prosecution related to her alleged participation in an attempted coup d’état in 2022. If convicted, she faces up to 25 years in prison. After being incarcerated between June 2023 until September, Chavez was released on bail and is awaiting trial.
To deepen this diplomatic dispute, Peru is doubling down by naming Sheinbaum a “persona non grata” in official terms. This special status, typically afforded to foreign diplomats, blocks her entrance from the United States. Peru’s abrupt diplomatic ping-pong has come to symbolize Peru’s displeasure with Mexico’s recent treatment of Chavez.
Peru’s Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela characterized Sheinbaum’s decision to grant asylum as an “unfriendly act” that interferes with Peru’s internal affairs. Yet, as tensions between the two nations increased, the Mexican government gave the Peruvian government the opportunity to send an ambassador, breaking its own diplomatic ties with Mexico.
The President of Peru’s Congress, Fernando Rospigliosi, stated that this vote serves as a demonstration of support for the government’s stance in breaking relations with Mexico.
Ernesto Bustamante, a Peruvian congressman, made even more noise about Sheinbaum’s participation.
“We cannot allow someone like that, who is in cahoots with drug traffickers and who distracts her people from the real problems they should be addressing, to get involved in Peruvian affairs,” – Ernesto Bustamante, El Pais newspaper.
In the face of mounting tensions, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs held their ground. They argued that providing Chavez asylum serves the interests of international law. Lima has not provided Chavez with a definitive path out of the embassy. Even now, three years later, he still cannot get to Mexico.
The decision to bar Sheinbaum shows the growing distance between the two countries. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the tangled web of international asylum law and diplomatic relations. Neither government shows any inclination to budge an inch. No one knows how this conflict will play out and if they will seek additional diplomatic steps.
