The Mexican Government maintained that the granting of asylum is supported by international treaties and the Constitution.
– Information in development
Mexico City, November 4 (However).- The President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo This Tuesday, he described the decision of the Government of Peru to break diplomatic relations with Mexico after granting asylum political to the will express Minister Betssy Chávezand clarified that the exchange commercial between both countries will continue without effects.
“From our perspective, it is out of all proportion, but it is a decision that they make. Yesterday, the person in charge of the Embassy there asked the Foreign Ministry and they told her that the consular relationship was not broken, but only the diplomatic one, from Embassy to Embassy,” he expressed in his morning conference.
When asked about the commercial relationship after the announcement of Peru’s break with Mexico, she clarified: “No, the relationship continues. They are diplomatic relations.”
The federal president recalled that Mexico has not broken relations with Peru, as occurred in the case of Ecuador, after the violation of the Mexican diplomatic headquarters in Quito. A decision that Andrés Manuel López Obrador made during his mandate.
“The detention of Pedro Castillo was totally unjust, a matter with political motivations that had been developing for a long time, in addition to showing discrimination on the part of the Peruvian political class. Here we granted asylum to his family and, when this Chancellor was imprisoned and decided to request asylum in Mexico, he was evaluated in accordance with the usual procedures at the Mexican embassy in Peru, where he currently remains.”
The Undersecretary for North America, Roberto Velasco Álvarez, reported this Tuesday that the Government of Mexico formalized the request for safe passage to the Peruvian authorities to allow the departure of Betssy Chávez, who was granted political asylum.
Velasco Álvarez explained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) transmitted the request through a diplomatic note, in accordance with the Caracas Convention on Political Asylum, whose article 4 establishes that “it is up to the asylum State to qualify the nature of the crime or the reasons for the persecution.” In this case, Mexico considers that Chávez is a victim of political persecution and violations of his procedural rights.
“The instructions of President Sheinbaum and Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente are clear: defend the humanist tradition of Mexico, act in accordance with international law and preserve friendship between peoples,” said the Undersecretary.
For her part, Raquel Serur Smeke, Undersecretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighted the humanistic character of asylum in Mexico and its historical tradition. He also recalled that the country has protected thousands of people persecuted for political reasons, citing examples such as Spanish refugees during the Franco dictatorship, cases in dictatorships in Chile, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil, and figures such as José Martí, Trotsky, Rigoberta Menchú and Evo Morales.
“Requesting political asylum or refuge is a right of any person, and its granting is a sovereign right of Mexico that must be respected by other countries,” explained Serur Smeke. Then, he highlighted that asylum is governed by universal principles such as pro persona, the presumption of innocence, and that it is a peaceful act that “cannot be considered an unfriendly act by any State.”
During his participation, Pablo Monroy Conesa, General Director for South America, contextualized the cases of Betssy Chávez and Pedro Castillo, explaining that they are directly related. He highlighted that during his government, Castillo was the subject of constant attacks, political harassment and unjustified accusations, including attempts at dismissal and accusations of treason due to sovereign decisions. After his dismissal on December 7, 2022, his legal process was full of irregularities, including prolonged preventive detention and violations of constitutional procedures.
Monroy Conesa noted that Betsy Chávez faced similar accusations, with legal proceedings plagued by irregularities and abuses during her imprisonment. “Mexico studies his request and finds sufficient elements to grant asylum, acting in strict accordance with international and national law,” he stated. Furthermore, he highlighted that crimes of rebellion are considered political in many legislations, so the granting of asylum is consistent with international standards.
Finally, Monroy Conesa emphasized that Mexico does not intervene in Peru’s internal affairs and has maintained a position of principle based on its history of foreign policy and asylum and refuge, without taking disproportionate retaliations against the Peruvian government.
Velasco Álvarez concluded that Mexico, following the instructions of the President and Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente, will continue to defend its humanist tradition, acting in accordance with international law and preserving friendship between peoples, despite the decision of the Peruvian government.