Karla Ornelas, head of the Mexican embassy in Peru, left the country on Saturday night, a week after José Jerí’s government expelled her with a “peremptory deadline”. Some journalists stationed in the residence, located in the San Isidro neighborhood of Lima, reported the departure of a van towards Jorge Chávez airport. For a few hours, rumors spread that on board the vehicle was Betssy Chávez, Pedro Castillo’s former prime minister, accused of rebellion and conspiracy, whose asylum caused the breakdown of diplomatic relations between Peru and Mexico.
The migrations ended late at midnight with speculation spreading like wildfire on social networks. “On the date and as foreseen by the Government of Peru, the chargé d’affaires of the United States of Mexico carried out the outgoing immigration control and left the country,” the Interior Agency said in a brief statement.
This is not the first time Peru has expelled a high-ranking Mexican diplomat. In December 2022, he removed Ambassador Pablo Monroy in retaliation for being instrumental in granting asylum in Mexico to former President Pedro Castillo’s wife and children after his failed attempt to breach the constitutional order. Now the clash is repeated with Karla Ornelas, who gave her approval for Chávez, one of the alleged co-authors of the self-coup, to take refuge in the embassy.
The Mexican government has determined that Chávez is a persecuted politician, like Pedro Castillo. A perception questioned by the Peruvian political class. A few days ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement suspending the delivery of the safe conduct that Chávez needs to travel to Mexico. The government of José Jerí – which will complete its one-month mandate this Monday – resists by claiming that the right to diplomatic asylum has been distorted by granting it to those who are not persecuted.
Some internationalists argue that Peru must respect its international commitments and not put any more stones in this mess that has broken relations between two countries that have had almost no dead ends in two hundred years of history. This is a conflict that has been escalating for three years. The truth is that, according to an Ipsos poll for the newspaper Peru 21a large part of the population believes that Betssy Chávez should remain in Peru to face trial. 79% agree. A percentage that drops to 75% in the regions and grows to 84% in Lima, the capital.
Betssy Chávez’s situation has entered a nebula. He remains in the Mexican embassy, but without the presence of its highest representative. If she sets foot outside the residence she will be arrested. The Executive, meanwhile, has indicated that it will ask the OAS to reform the Caracas Convention, because “a negative evolution has occurred in its international practice”. It will talk to member countries to present a proposal. A trial with no deadline in sight which will only prolong the decision on the former prime minister.
A few days ago, the Public Prosecutor requested that the appearance granted to Betssy Chávez be revoked and that she be given a new preventive detention for “not having respected all the restrictions imposed”. As mentioned, the lawyer was in prison from mid-2023 until September, when she regained her freedom thanks to a ruling from the Constitutional Court. A new decision will be announced on November 13th.
