PERSONA NON GRATA

Peru Gives Mexican Ambassador 3 Days to Get Out Amid Diplomatic Crisis

Peru has responded with fury after Mexico offered asylum to the family of the ousted Peruvian president.

Peru has told its Mexican ambassador to leave within 72 hours after Mexico offered asylum to the family of Pedro Castillo, the president of Peru who was impeached and removed from power earlier this month. Castillo was arrested and accused of attempting to launch a coup after he tried to dissolve Congress in an effort to avoid impeachment. Mexico has supported Castillo throughout the crisis, with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador calling Castillo’s removal from office undemocratic. On Tuesday, Mexico’s foreign minister said it was attempting to negotiate safe passage for Castillo’s family to Mexico from the Mexican Embassy in Lima—a request the Peruvian foreign minister said had been accepted. But the offer of asylum triggered anger in Peru, with the Mexican ambassador, Pablo Monroy, declared “persona non grata” by the government and ordered to leave.