Pedro Castillo with his family in Chota, Perú, in June 2021. Photo: Angela Ponce/Getty Images.
This Wednesday, December 21, the Peruvian first lady, Lilia Ulcida Paredes Navarro, and her children arrived in México, having been granted political asylum, and were received by an official from the Mexican Foreign Ministry.
The Peruvian government granted the wife and two minor children of the ousted president of Perú, Pedro Castillo, safe conduct to leave the country as political refugees, in accordance with the provisions of the 1954 Caracas Convention on Diplomatic Asylum.
Este es el preciso momento en el que @LiliaParedesN junto a sus dos hijos abandonan el Perú como asilados políticos rumbo a #Mexico. Se van en vuelo comercial junto a ciudadanos de ese país repatriados luego de quedar varados en Cusco.@canalN_ pic.twitter.com/U669XxEij7
— Marco Calderón (@supermcalderon) December 21, 2022
The Mexican government’s decision led to the expulsion of its ambassador to Perú, Pablo Monroy, and warnings from Peruvian authorities about pending investigations against Paredes for leading an alleged corruption network.
The Mexican government also granted asylum to President Pedro Castillo, who remains detained in Perú under investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office for crimes of rebellion, conspiracy, abuse of authority, and serious disturbance of public peace. These highly controversial charges were not even applied in the conviction of infamous Peruvian dictator Alberto Fujimori.
Lilia Paredes , Arnold y Alondra Castillo en el Aeropuerto de la Ciudad de México a su arribo procedentes de Lima , Perú. pic.twitter.com/UkjGpRLEdg
— Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) December 21, 2022
Martín Borrego, director of South American affairs at the Mexican Foreign Ministry, received the family of political refugees on Mexican soil.
The ousting of President Pedro Castillo by the—already dissolved—Congress, on December 7, sparked protests and demonstrations in various regions of Perú, which have so far left more than 25 dead due to police repression of protesters in the streets.
En nombre del @GobiernoMX recibí en nuestro país a la familia Castillo, protegida por la figura del asilo político.
Fieles a nuestra tradición diplomática y orgullo de la política exterior mexicana que sigue salvando vidas en América Latina. pic.twitter.com/GOqbmnsFgK— Martín Borrego Llorente (@mborregol) December 21, 2022
Protesters continue to demand the release of Pedro Castillo and the dissolution of Congress, calling for a Constituent Assembly, early elections, and the resignation of de facto President Dina Boluarte, amongst other demands.
Amidst protests and mobilizations, the plenary session of Congress preliminarily approved on Tuesday an electoral advance of April 2024 as a concession to the protesters.
Relations between México and Perú have become tense in recent days after the declarations of support from the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, for President Pedro Castillo. But México is not alone in its evaluation of the current democratic rupture in Perú, being joined by at least 13 more countries across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard described the Peruvian government’s decision to expel his country’s ambassador to Lima as unfounded and reprehensible.
(Al-Mayadeen) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/AU
