Peru-Mexico: Lima cuts off diplomatic ties with Mexico over ex-PM’s asylum
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Peru breaks off diplomatic relations with Mexico after ex-PM flees to Mexican embassy
Peru has decided to break off diplomatic relations with Mexico, the Andean nation’s foreign minister said on Monday. Peru’s former prime minister holed up in the Mexican embassy in the country to request asylum. Chavez was facing criminal charges for her alleged role in Castillo’s attempt to dissolve Congress in late 2022. Her lawyer, Raul Noblecilla, told local radio station RPP that he had not heard from his client in several days and was unaware of whether or not she had requested asylum.
Item 1 of 4 Members of Peruvian police stand near a police patrol vehicle outside Mexico’s Embassy after Peru cut diplomatic ties following their former prime minister Betssy Chavez’s asylum request, in Lima, Peru, November 3, 2025. REUTERS/Sebastian Castaneda
LIMA, Nov 3 (Reuters) – Peru has decided to break off diplomatic relations with Mexico, the Andean nation’s foreign minister said on Monday, after Peru’s former prime minister holed up in the Mexican embassy in the country to request asylum.
Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela told journalists that Peruvian officials learned earlier in the day that former Prime Minister Betssy Chavez, who served under President Pedro Castillo, had fled to the embassy.
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Mexico’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“In response to this unfriendly act, and taking into account the repeated occasions in which the current and former presidents of that country have interfered in the internal affairs of Peru, the Peruvian government has decided today to break diplomatic relations with Mexico,” de Zela said.
Chavez was facing criminal charges for her alleged role in Castillo’s attempt to dissolve Congress in late 2022. Castillo was ousted and remains under arrest
Chavez had been imprisoned since June 2023, but was released by a judge in September while her trial was underway.
Her lawyer, Raul Noblecilla, told local radio station RPP that he had not heard from his client in several days and was unaware of whether or not she had requested asylum.
Chavez’s driver previously testified that she requested he take her to the Mexican embassy as Castillo’s bid to break up Congress was underway, before returning to her office.
Chavez denied that she attempted to reach the embassy then, and has denied knowing about Castillo’s plan to dissolve the legislature. Prosecutors have requested a 25-year sentence.
Reporting by Marco Aquino; Additional reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by Sarah Morland and Richard Chang
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Peru cuts diplomatic ties with Mexico over asylum claim of former prime minister
Peru and Mexico have broken off diplomatic relations. The move follows the arrest of former Peruvian Prime Minister Pedro Castillo. Castillo is accused of trying to stage a coup against the Peruvian government. He has been charged with rebellion and conspiracy to commit embezzlement of public funds.
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Peruvian Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela told reporters that Mexico’s decision to grant Chavez asylum at its embassy in Peru’s capital, Lima, constituted an “unfriendly act” that added to the existing tensions between the two countries.
The office of Peru’s President Jose Jeri in a statement then accused Mexico’s government of “repeated” interference with the internal affairs of the South American country.
Authorities have accused Chavez of participating in the 2022 failed effort by then-President Pedro Castillo to declare a state of emergency and dissolve Peru’s Parliament as legislators prepared an impeachment vote against him.
Peru’s former prime minister Betssy Chavez arriving for her trial on charges of rebellion and conspiracy in March. Photo: AP
Castillo failed to get the military’s support for his move, was swiftly deposed by Congress and then arrested after prosecutors accused him of trying to promote a coup.
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The Peruvian Attorney General’s Office has accused Chavez of being an accomplice in the crime of rebellion against the powers of the state. It was seeking a sentence of up to 25 years in prison for Chavez, who served as Castillo’s prime minister.
Peru-Mexico: Lima cuts off diplomatic ties with Mexico over ex-PM’s asylum
Peru cuts diplomatic ties with Mexico over ex-PM’s asylum claim. Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela expressed his “deep regret” over the decision. Betssy Chávez had been imprisoned in June 2023 over her alleged role in ousted Peruvian president Pedro Castillos’s plan to dissolve congress. She was released by a judge on bail in September and had denied the charges against her. Peru also accused Mexico of “repeated instances in which the current and former presidents of that country have interfered in Peru’s internal affairs” The decision adds to ongoing tensions between the two governments.
“Given this unfriendly act… the Peruvian government has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Mexico today,” Zela said.
Peruvian Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela expressed his “surprise and deep regret” after learning Betssy Chávez was being given refuge at the Mexican embassy in Peru.
Peru has announced it is breaking off diplomatic relations with Mexico after its government granted asylum to a former Peruvian prime minister facing charges for a 2022 coup attempt.
Chávez had been imprisoned in June 2023 over her alleged role in ousted Peruvian president Pedro Castillos’s plan to dissolve congress. She was released by a judge on bail in September and had denied the charges against her.
Peru also accused Mexico of “repeated instances in which the current and former presidents of that country have interfered in Peru’s internal affairs”.
“The truth is, they have tried to portray the authors of the coup attempt as victims, when in reality, Peruvians live and want to continue living in democracy, as recognised by all countries in the world, with the sole and lonely exception of Mexico,” Zela added.
Prosecutors are seeking a 25-year sentence for Chávez’s alleged role in Castillo’s plan to dissolve congress.
Castillo was arrested in December 2022 on charges of rebellion, after he attempted to dissolve congress and install an emergency government.
Hours after the attempt, Castillo was impeached. He has been in preventative custody ever since.
Prosecutors are seeking a 34-year jail term for Castillo, who previously said he never took up arms against the state because the military refused his orders.
Peru’s decision to sever diplomatic ties with Mexico adds to ongoing tensions between the two governments since Castillo’s ousting.
In 2022, Lima expelled Mexico’s ambassador following its decision to grant asylum to Castillo’s wife and children following his arrest.
A year later, Peru also recalled its ambassador to Mexico after then-president Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressed his support for Castillo, saying he had been “illegally ousted”.
A former primary school teacher, farmer and union activist, Castillo was dubbed Peru’s “first poor president”.
With no previous political experience, he took office as a government outsider, vowing to transform Peru’s deteriorating economy and support the poor.
But Castillo’s presidency came to an infamous end after his attempt to seize power was declared unconstitutional, with government officials and the country’s armed forces refusing to support him.
Casillo’s successor, former president Dina Boluarte, was removed from office last month by an overwhelming majority in Peru’s congress, after mass protests against political scandals and soaring crime.
Congress leader José Jeri was then sworn in as interim president.
Peru Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Mexico Over Asylum Granted To Former Peruvian Prime Minister
The Peruvian government has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Mexico. Mexico granted asylum to former Peruvian Prime Minister Betssy Chávez. She faces criminal charges for her alleged involvement in Castillo’s attempt to dissolve Congress.
Peruvian Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela said in a press statement,“Given this unfriendly act, the Peruvian government has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Mexico as of today,” following the Mexican embassy’s decision to offer refuge to Betssy Chávez in Lima.
Chávez was appointed Prime Minister of Peru in November 2022 during the administration of former President Pedro Castillo but resigned just days later amid a severe political crisis in the country.
She faces criminal charges for her alleged involvement in Castillo’s attempt to dissolve Congress in December of the same year-an act the judiciary ruled unconstitutional.
diplomatic relations asylum refuge
Peru Breaks Diplomatic Relations with Mexico
Peru has cut off diplomatic ties with Mexico over the asylum claim of former Peruvian Prime Minister Betssy Chávez. She is facing charges in her homeland over the alleged 2022 coup attempt by then President Pedro Castillo. Chavez is also facing criminal charges for her alleged role in the act. Peru declared Mexico’s ambassador to Lima, Pablo Monroy, persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours. He was on his way to the Mexican embassy in Lima to ask for asylum together with his family when he was arrested and charged with rebellion and abuse of authority.
“Today we learned with surprise and deep regret that former Prime Minister Betssy Chavez, the alleged co-author of the coup d’etat attempted by former President Pedro Castillo (2021-2022), is being granted asylum at the residence of the Mexican Embassy in Peru,” Peruvian Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela said at a news conference.
‘Unfriendly act’
De Zela described Mexico’s decision as an “unfriendly act,” before adding, “considering the repeated instances in which the current and former presidents of that country have interfered in Peru’s internal affairs, the Peruvian government has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Mexico today.”
Castillo, who came to power on a leftist platform, was ousted by Parliament and arrested in December 2022 after attempting to dissolve Congress. Chavez is also facing criminal charges for her alleged role in the act.
She has denied knowing about Castillo’s plan to dissolve the legislature.
In September, Chavez denied that she had attempted to flee to the Mexican embassy in Peru as Castillo’s bid to break up Congress was underway. Her driver testified that Chavez requested he take her there, before returning to her office.
The deterioration in Peru-Mexico relations
Relations between Peru and Mexico have deteriorated sharply since the ousting of Castillo.
After Mexico granted asylum to Castillo’s family, Peru declared Mexico’s ambassador to Lima, Pablo Monroy, persona non grata
and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours.
Castillo’s successor, now ex-president Dina Boluarte, also temporarily recalled Peru’s ambassador to Mexico City, accusing Mexico’s then President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of meddling in Peruvian affairs by expressing support for Castillo.
What is the current status of Castillo and Chavez?
Castillo was on his way to the Mexican embassy in Lima to ask for asylum together with his family when he was arrested and charged with rebellion and abuse of authority.
Chavez was also charged alongside him.
The pair went on trial in March of this year.
Castillo has been in preventive custody since his impeachment. Chavez was released on bail.
Prosecutors had sought a 25-year term for Chavez for allegedly participating in Castillo’s plan to dissolve Congress.
They have sought a 34-year sentence for Castillo.
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