Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador during a press conference. Photo: Cuartoscuro/File photo.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) accused the de facto president of Peru, Dina Boluarte, of being a “puppet” of the oligarchy that loots the country’s natural resources.
In his daily press conference on Monday, February 27, the Mexican president stated, “a national oligarchy, but above all, a foreign one is plundering Peru’s natural resources. They need a puppet… a ruler to suit them, and a congress as well.”
López Obrador has compared the current crisis in Peru to what happened in Mexico during “the neoliberal period,” when constitutional reforms were carried out in favor of a rapacious minority for 36 years to give public goods to national and foreign companies.
Boluarte Withdraws Peru’s Ambassador to Mexico, Accuses AMLO of Interference
AMLO has condemned the silence of international bodies, including the Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nations (UN), in the face of what he has described as “a great injustice” and a coup d’etat. He has reiterated that ousting President Pedro Castillo disrespected Peru’s popular will.
“We do not accept the farce that was the removal of President Pedro Castillo because the freedom of the people of Peru was not respected,” he stated. “Democracy was trampled on, and a great injustice was committed by removing him, imprisoning him and then establishing an authoritarian and repressive de facto government.”
President López Obrador has called Dina Boluarte “spurious,” condemning the unjust dismissal of former President Pedro Castillo.
AMLO Calls Dina Boluarte Government ‘Spurious,’ Will Not Hand Over Regional Bloc Presidency to Peru
His comments come amid high tension between Mexico and Boluarte. On Saturday, the Peruvian government announced that it would reduce bilateral relations to charge d’affaires after withdrawing its ambassador to Mexico, Manuel Gerardo Talavera, in reaction to the AMLO’s statements about Boluarte, who shows an 85% disapproval rating in the polls.
On December 21, 2022, the Peruvian government declared the Mexican ambassador in Lima, Pablo Monroy, persona non grata. He was given 72 hours to leave the country after López Obrador’s government granted asylum to Castillo’s wife and two children.
Since December, Peru has seen a people’s uprising demanding the resignation of Boluarte, the dissolution of congress, the release of President Castillo, new elections and the establishment of a constituent assembly. Amid the protests, at least 70 people have been killed by violent police repression.
(HispanTV) with Orinoco Tribune editing
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
