On Thursday, the Congressional Plenum of the Republic of Peru announced their decision to declare Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador an unwelcome person, following his recurrent commentary on Peru’s internal affairs. The focus of his statements has been on discrediting Peru’s President Dina Boluarte, as well as his refusal to hand over the Pacific Alliance’s presidency to Peru.
Securing 65 votes in favor, with 40 against and two abstentions, the approved motion urged both the Interior and Foreign Relations Ministries to initiate the necessary measures ensuring that Mexico’s President is barred from entering Peruvian territory.
President López Obrador’s disdainful comments against President Boluarte have attracted the ire of Peruvian lawmakers, who deem his remarks as blatant violations of non-interference principles concerning another state’s internal affairs.
María del Carmen Alva, a right-wing congresswoman who introduced the motion, expressed her concern by saying, “The main issue here is that President López Obrador refuses to acknowledge President Boluarte, our Congress, and is unwilling to pass on the rotating presidency of the Pacific Alliance to us.”
López Obrador intensified the diplomatic dispute he’s been waging against Boluarte since Pedro Castillo, the left-leaning president, was ousted last December. On May 15, he stated during a press conference, “I cannot recognize her as the legitimate President of Peru, therefore I will not pass on the presidency of the Pacific Alliance.”
He further added, “We can offer it to Chile or Colombia and leave it to them to decide, but as far as this lady is concerned, respectfully, a usurper, who expelled our ambassador from Peru, I cannot.”
Mexico continues to uphold Castillo as the rightful president of Peru. Last December, Mexico granted asylum to the former Peruvian president’s wife and their two minor children.
