Peru Puts Diplomatic Relations ‘On Hold’, Mexican President Criticizes Country's State Of Emergency

Mexico’s President Andres Manuel López Obrador on Friday criticized the government of Peru’s decision to declare a state of emergency in the country over the protests, as Mexico halts their diplomatic relations with the country over the ousting of Pedro Castillo.

López Obrador said that Peru has been in a “state of siege,” expressing disapproval for the state of emergency declared by Peru’s President Dina Boluarte, saying that “the people must not be repressed and freedoms must be guaranteed,” according to Reuters.

Despite Mexico’s non-interventionist foreign policies on incidents like this, President López Obrador has expressed his belief that the ousted Castillo is the rightful President of Peru, and has been consulting with Peruvian authorities on possibly granting Castillo asylum in Mexico, Mexico Daily News reported.

The government of López Obrador has recently declared that its diplomatic relations with Peru is “on hold” as they still consider Castillo as the proper democratically-elected leader of the country, a day after Mexico released a joint statement with Colombia, Argentina, and Bolivia regarding the recent ousting of the leader.

“Our governments call on all the actors involved in the process to prioritize the will of the people expressed at the ballot box,” the joint statement had read.

“Relations are on hold as we wait to see what happens,” López Obrador said during a press conference. “Hopefully a democratic solution can be found.”

The diplomatic “hold,” Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard clarified, does not mean that they will be severing relations with Peru, as they will continue to maintain an embassy in the country. They will also help the Mexican citizens who have been stuck in Peru during the escalating protests in the country.

The crisis in Peru has become a critical political matter in the Latin American region, with a meeting between the Pacific Alliance of Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Colombia being postponed after the ousting of Castillo.

Dina Boluarte, who replaced Castillo as president, will reportedly speak with the nations involved in the joint statement as a way of potentially easing tensions despite an escalating roll of protests against her rule.