Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Friday that his country will not maintain any kind of relations with Peru until there is “democratic normality” in that country.
Regarding the transfer of the pro tempore presidency of the Pacific Alliance — which should have been made by Mexico to Peru — López Obrador proposed the option of passing the mandate to Chile, since he refuses to hand it over to Peru because he considers that Dina Boluarte’s regime is not democratic.
“I can give it to Chile without any problem,” commented López Obrador, who clarified that the possibility of giving the witness to Colombia is not viable, because just as they did with him, the Peruvian regime decided to declare President Gustavo Petro as persona non grata months ago.
The Mexican president stressed that under no circumstances will he hand over the pro tempore presidency of the Pacific Alliance to Boluarte. “Well, I give it to the Chileans (…) but I am not going to give it to the lady who is usurping the Presidency,” he said.
“As long as there is no democratic normality in Peru, we do not want economic or commercial relations with them”, added López Obrador, who commented that bilateral ties are “on pause.”
In addition, he said that he will soon send a letter to the president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, to resolve the conflict and to stop blaming Mexico for “the politicians in Peru.” “If Chile gives it to Peru, it is their business,” he warned.
López Obrador added that the people currently in charge in Peru belong to “an oligarchy that controls everything together with foreign companies,” and that they have been in charge of plundering all the wealth of the Andean country.
“They are not the people,” he stressed. “The people of Peru are an extraordinary people, a brotherly people. If I cannot go to Peru, the only thing I regret is not being able to go to Machu Picchu and not being able to see its people, who are extraordinary. Peru is a great people for such a small government,” he said about the decision of the Peruvian Congress to declare him persona non grata.
The Mexican president emphasized that the position he has taken on the situation in Peru “is not in vain” and that with it he has achieved that, for example, the United Nations is “waking up” and has confirmed that the victims of police repression during the protests demanding the departure of Boluarte, caused the death of dozens of poor people who were demanding their rights.
In this regard, López Obrador warned that in Peru “the people want to free themselves, they want justice and they want democracy”, because they are against a government and a Congress that, in his opinion, lack legitimacy.
Meanwhile, the President suggested Peruvians to do the same thing that is going to happen in Ecuador, after the government crisis faced by President Guillermo Lasso, and that is to call elections to renew the Executive and Legislative powers.
“Calling elections is what should be done in Peru, freeing the president (Pedro Castillo) and seeking agreements.” Otherwise, he said, the political, social and government crisis will continue.
