MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pacific Alliance Summit called off after political crisis in Peru

Mexico is willing to offer Castillo asylum should he ask for it, Ebrard said

Due to Wednesday's events in Lima, the Pacific Alliance Summit scheduled to take place later this month at the Peruvian capital has been postponed yet again, Mexico's Foreign Ministry announced.

 The gathering had just been rescheduled from its Nov. 24 date in Mexico City to the South American country after Peru's Congress denied then-President Pedro Castillo Terrones clearance to leave the country for that purpose, although he was allowed to travel to Chile for a meeting with President Gabriel Boric Font.

Peru was to receive the pro-tempore presidency of the bloc (made up of Chile, Peru, Mexico, and Colombia) from Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO).

“Given the latest events in Peru, it has been agreed to postpone the Pacific Alliance Summit that was to take place on December 14 in the city of Lima,” Mexico's Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard posted on Twitter.

Ebrard also said Wednesday that should Castillo asks “for asylum in Mexico, we will give it to him.” Castillo is currently detained in Lima after being impeached following his attempt to dissolve Parliament and rule by decree.

However, the Mexican official admitted Castillo had not filed any such petition.

AMLO, who is said to be monitoring the situation closely, accused Peru's “economic and political elites” of forcing Castillo to “make decisions” that led to his dismissal.

“We consider it regrettable that due to the interests of the economic and political elites, since the beginning of the legitimate presidency of Pedro Castillo, an atmosphere of confrontation and hostility has been maintained against him until leading him to make decisions that have served his adversaries to consummate his impeachment,” AMLO said on Twitter.