Peru bans Mexico's President Sheinbaum as diplomatic dispute grows

"Peru has declared Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum a persona non grata who is unable to enter the country, days after severing ties with Mexico amid an escalating diplomatic dispute. Peru's Congress voted 63 to 34 on Thursday in favour of symbolically barring Sheinbaum from the country after her government granted asylum to former Peruvian Prime Minister Betssy Chavez, after she fled to the Mexican embassy in Peru's capital Lima."

"During a debate on Thursday, Ernesto Bustamante, an MP who sits on Peru's Congressional Foreign Relations Committee, also accused Sheinbaum of having ties to drug traffickers. 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, Bustamante said, according to El Pais."

"Chavez, who is on trial for her participation in an alleged 2022 coup attempt, earlier this week fled to the Mexican embassy in Lima, where she was granted political asylum. Peru's Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela called the decision by Mexico City an unfriendly act that interfered in the internal affairs of Peru. Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has maintained that it was acting in accordance with international law, and the move in no way constitutes an intervention in Peru's internal affairs."

Peru declared Claudia Sheinbaum persona non grata and symbolically barred her entry after Mexico granted political asylum to former Peruvian prime minister Betssy Chavez, who fled to the Mexican embassy in Lima. Peru's Congress voted 63 to 34 to support the measure. Chavez faces trial over alleged participation in a 2022 coup attempt. Peru's foreign minister called Mexico's asylum decision an unfriendly interference in Peru's internal affairs, while Mexico's foreign ministry said its action complied with international law. Peru has not granted safe passage for Chavez to travel to Mexico. Accusations of criminal ties were raised against Sheinbaum by a Peruvian MP.

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