Peru’s Congress has formally declared Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador persona non grata, escalating a diplomatic standoff that has now seen both countries sever ties following Mexico’s decision to grant asylum to a former Peruvian prime minister.
The motion passed late Thursday by a wide margin in Lima’s legislature, accusing López Obrador of “repeated interference in Peru’s internal affairs” and of violating diplomatic norms through his government’s asylum decision.
It comes just days after Peru cut diplomatic relations with Mexico, ordering the closure of its embassy in Mexico City and the withdrawal of its ambassador.
“This is a matter of national sovereignty,” said Peruvian lawmaker María del Carmen Alva, who sponsored the motion. “Mexico’s actions represent a deliberate intrusion into our domestic political process.”
How the Rift Escalated
The crisis began when Mexico granted political asylum to former Peruvian Prime Minister Aníbal Torres, an ally of ousted President Pedro Castillo, who was removed from office in 2022 after an attempted dissolution of Congress. Torres, facing corruption and rebellion charges in Peru, fled to the Mexican embassy in Lima last week.
Mexico’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Torres had been granted asylum “on humanitarian grounds,” prompting a swift and furious response from Peru’s government. Lima accused Mexico of harboring fugitives and undermining judicial independence.
“Peru will not tolerate any country sheltering those who have attacked its democratic institutions,” the Peruvian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Mexico’s Response
President López Obrador has defended the asylum decision
