Mexico City, Mexico — The wife and two children of Peru’s ousted President, Pedro Castillo, arrived in Mexico City on Wednesday. The former president is currently serving pre-trial detention for charges of rebellion.
At his morning press conference, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that Lilia Paredes, Castillo’s wife, and their two children, Arnold and Alondra Castillo, arrived in Mexico at 7:00 am local time.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard shared on Twitter a picture of Castillo’s family’s arrival to the country, pledging support and refuge to the family.
Their journey to Mexico was announced a day before by the foreign minister after it was revealed that the family had sought refuge in the Mexican embassy and were requesting asylum.
López Obrador has remained steadfast in his support for Castillo following his removal from the presidency by Peru’s congress on December 7. Condemning the action, the Mexican leader has called Castillo’s impeachment un-democratic and illegal.
Peru’s former Vice President Dina Boluarte took over the presidency after Castillo was jailed, and protests have erupted across the country, with Castillo supporters calling on congress to reinstate the president.
To date, the Mexican government’s stance has been against the de facto government in Peru, which it has criticized for wanting to impose order by using force to tackle the political crisis generated by Castillo’s removal.
In addition, López Obrador has refused to recognize Castillo’s successor.
López Obrador’s comments have drawn the ire of Peru’s current government, with Ana Cecilia Gervasi, Peru’s foreign minister, alleging meddling by the Mexican government in Peru’s affairs.
On December 20, shortly after Castillo’s family had reached the Mexican embassy, Gervasi announced that the Mexican ambassador to Peru, Pablo Monroy, would be expelled from the country. The Peruvian government gave Monroy 72 hours to leave and labeled him “persona non-grata” for his alleged interference in the country’s internal affairs on behalf of the Mexican government.
Following Ambassador Monroy’s banishment from Peru, López Obrador assured his administration would not expel Peru’s representatives in Mexico. However, he did criticize the Peruvian government since the U.S. Ambassador Lisa Kenna met with Boluarte shortly after the latter was elected president.
“We know how to distinguish very well between the people of Peru, which is a brotherly people, and the attitude of the so-called political class of the economic and political elites of Peru, who are the ones who have maintained this crisis in the country for their personal ambitions, for their economic interests,” said López Obrador during a press conference.
