Peru has cut diplomatic ties with Mexico after accusing Mexico of granting asylum to former prime minister Betssy Chavez, who is on trial over an alleged 2022 coup attempt. Chavez reportedly took refuge at the Mexican Embassy residence in Lima; Mexico has not yet commented. The move intensifies a dispute that began when former president Pedro Castillo sought asylum and was later arrested. Prosecutors seek 25 years for Chavez and 34 years for Castillo; both deny the charges.
Peru Severs Diplomatic Ties with Mexico After Asylum Granted to Ex-PM Betssy Chavez
Peru has cut diplomatic ties with Mexico after accusing Mexico of granting asylum to former prime minister Betssy Chavez, who is on trial over an alleged 2022 coup attempt. Chavez reportedly took refuge at the Mexican Embassy residence in Lima; Mexico has not yet commented. The move intensifies a dispute that began when former president Pedro Castillo sought asylum and was later arrested. Prosecutors seek 25 years for Chavez and 34 years for Castillo; both deny the charges.
08:20, 04.11.2025Politics
Peru severs relations after asylum at Mexican residence
Peru announced on Monday that it has severed diplomatic relations with Mexico after accusing the Mexican government of granting asylum to Betssy Chavez, a former Peruvian prime minister who is currently on trial over an alleged 2022 coup attempt.
"Today we learned with surprise and deep regret that Betssy Chavez, the alleged co-author of the coup attempt by former President Pedro Castillo, is being granted asylum at the Mexican Embassy residence in Peru," said Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela at a news conference. He added that the decision to cut ties followed repeated instances of what Peru described as interference in its internal affairs.
Mexico did not immediately comment on the decision. Chavez reportedly sought refuge at the Mexican Embassy residence in Lima; Chavez's lawyer, Raul Noblecilla, told local radio RPP that he had not been in contact with his client for several days and did not know whether she had formally requested asylum.
Background
Chavez served in the cabinet of former president Pedro Castillo and was appointed prime minister in November 2022 during a months-long standoff between Castillo and Peru's Congress. Castillo attempted to dissolve Congress and was impeached the following month; he was arrested while reportedly on his way to the Mexican embassy to seek asylum. Chavez was charged alongside Castillo with rebellion and related offenses.
Their trial began in March of this year. While Castillo has remained in preventive custody since his impeachment, Chavez was released on bail in September. Prosecutors have requested a 25-year prison term for Chavez and a 34-year sentence for Castillo; both defendants deny the charges.
Diplomatic fallout
Relations between Lima and Mexico have been strained since late 2022. In December 2022, Peru expelled Mexico's ambassador after Mexico granted asylum to Castillo's wife and children. In February 2023, then-President Dina Boluarte temporarily recalled Peru's ambassador to Mexico City after Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressed support for Castillo.
This latest rupture marks a significant escalation in bilateral tensions and raises questions about the future of diplomatic, consular and political engagement between the two countries.
What happens next: Diplomatic channels may remain limited while both governments assess the implications of the break. International mediators and regional organizations could be asked to help de-escalate the dispute, but both sides may also pursue reciprocal measures in the coming days.