Karla Ornelas, the chargé d'affaires of the Mexican Embassy in Peru, left the Andean country on orders from the Peruvian government following the break in diplomatic relations. The move stems from Mexico granting asylum to former minister Betssy Chávez, who is on trial for the failed 2022 coup attempt. Peru also declared President Claudia Sheinbaum persona non grata.
The Peruvian government demanded the immediate departure of Karla Ornelas, who took charge of the Mexican legation in Lima after the expulsion of Ambassador Pablo Monroy in December 2022. This followed then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador calling Dina Boluarte a “usurper” after she assumed power upon Castillo's ouster.
On November 3, transitional President José Jerí announced a “peremptory deadline” for Ornelas to leave, after breaking diplomatic ties over the asylum granted to Chávez. Foreign Minister Hugo De Zela justified it as a response to an “unfriendly act” and the “repeated actions” by Sheinbaum and López Obrador in Peru's internal affairs. Both Mexican leaders have demanded Castillo's release, viewing him as the victim of a coup by power groups in Peru's Congress.
The National Superintendency of Migrations confirmed: “On this date, and as ordered by the Government of Peru, the chargé d'affaires of the United Mexican States completed her exit migration control and left the country”.
On November 6, Peru's Congress declared Sheinbaum persona non grata for “unacceptable interference,” a move rejected by Mexico as based on “false premises.” The next day, Peru said it would propose to the OAS amending the 1954 Caracas Convention, claiming misuse of asylum rights. Jerí confirmed Chávez cannot travel to Mexico until a decision on her safe-conduct.
Chávez received diplomatic asylum last Monday, amid her trial for rebellion and conspiracy with Castillo over the December 7, 2022, coup attempt. The diplomatic break does not affect consular relations.