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Diplomatic relations between Mexico and Peru have officially broken down following Peru’s decision to sever ties and declare Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum persona non grata.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, relations between Mexico and Peru really started to go to shit when Mexico openly supported ousted Peruvian President Pedro Castillo after his failed attempt to dissolve Congress in December 2022 (a move widely seen as an attempted coup). Castillo was then impeached, arrested, and remains in jail awaiting trial, but Mexico immediately stepped in to assist his family, granting political asylum to his wife, Lilia Paredes, and their children, who fled to the Mexican Embassy in Lima. Mexico later provided them safe passage out of the country. Despite Castillo facing serious charges of rebellion and prosecutors seeking a 34-year sentence, Mexico continued to back him and his inner circle, framing them as victims of political persecution. This support has fueled ongoing diplomatic tensions, with Peru accusing Mexico of interfering in its internal affairs and undermining its judicial system.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, Peru officially severed diplomatic relations with Mexico after Mexico granted political asylum to former Peruvian Prime Minister Betssy Chávez, who is currently facing charges for her alleged role in Castillo’s 2022 coup attempt. Chávez fled to the Mexican Embassy in Lima earlier this month, prompting an immediate backlash from the Peruvian government. Citing this as the final straw in what they called a series of“unfriendly acts,” Peru’s Congress voted 63–34 to declare Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum persona non grata, effectively banning her from entering the country.

Peruvian officials argue that Mexico’s repeated asylum offers to Castillo’s allies are deliberate political provocations and violations of Peru’s sovereignty. Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela labeled Mexico’s actions as interference in Peru’s internal affairs and criticized the country for trying to “construct a parallel reality” where Castillo and his inner circle are portrayed as victims of persecution rather than participants in an unconstitutional power grab. De Zela called the asylum offer to Chávez “excessive and disproportionate” and said Peru would not tolerate external actors meddling in its democratic processes.

Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected Peru’s diplomatic break as unjustified and reaffirmed that the asylum granted to Chávez was consistent with international law. Officials argued that asylum is a humanitarian act, not a political one, and that offering protection to those facing prosecution (especially when there’s concern about political motivation) is a long-standing Mexican foreign policy tradition.

More to come