The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugo De Zelarated as “very unfortunate” the decision of the Government of Mexico to grant political asylum to former Prime Minister Betssy Chávez. In interview with Peru21the chancellor pointed out that the position of the North American country responds to a vision “ideologized” of the Peruvian political situation and warned that it is an act of interference in the internal affairs of Peru.
For some analysts, Mexico’s position violates the basic principles of international law, is that correct?
Well, what has happened is that of course, the Government of Mexico intends to tell Peru what we have to do and that is absolutely unacceptable. That is interference in internal affairs. Mexico is a country with which we have always had an excellent relationship. Unfortunately, the Government of Mexico has decided to have an ideological position on what is happening in Peru and that has caused this problem.
The cover of Perú21 records the responsibility of five members of the Constitutional Court, which subsequently led to Chávez being granted asylum. Have you read it?
That is an issue that must be analyzed in more depth, I prefer to talk about the responsibility of the Foreign Ministry and I believe that we have duly fulfilled it.
Javier González Olaechea, in a recent interview, spoke about the possibility that safe conduct may be denied to Chávez, under the analysis of the third article of the Caracas Convention.
Look, this is an issue that must be analyzed in depth, I have just met with the legal area of the Foreign Ministry and I have asked them to do an in-depth analysis of the Caracas Convention, not taking a single article, but analyzing, as should be done, the Convention as a whole. We are going to wait a few days to receive that report and then I will tell you what the results are.
On April 5, 2024, Ecuadorian police forces stormed the Mexican embassy, searching for former vice president Jorge Salas, sentenced for corruption. Do you see a scenario like this?
No, not at all. Peru is a country that respects international law. We are not going to enter the Mexican embassy by force. That’s just not going to happen.
If there are no longer relations with Mexico, could Betssy Chávez be denied safe passage?
Well, that’s just the kind of analysis we’re doing. The problem of asylum and the problem of safe passage are a complex legal problem that requires a very in-depth analysis, that’s what we’re working on.
What are the benefits of asylum for Betssy Chávez?
In practical terms, the desire of the Mexican Government is to take Mrs. Chávez out of Peru and give her asylum in Mexico so that she can live there.
Are the economic benefits known in detail?
No, not really, and we can’t ask it either because it’s not our place. I imagine that they are going to be similar to those that the wife of former President Castillo has (editorial note: according to some media reports, Lilia Paredes receives US$10,000 a month from the Mexican Government, in addition to security and housing).
What are the plans you are taking for the future, in the event that other defendants want to seek asylum? Do you have any alerts?
Well, yes, obviously this case has raised all the alarms and we want to prevent political asylum from being distorted, allowing people who have committed common crimes to use it to protect themselves.
The president of Mexico said the following: “No one took up arms on Castillo’s orders.”
The fact that they did not pay attention to Castillo when he asked for it does not mean that he stopped trying to carry out a coup d’état. It is a failed coup d’état that happened.
It was also said that granting asylum is not an unfriendly act, that anyone who feels they are in danger because of their ideas can access this measure. Does it agree?
The key is the last. The ideas. Let’s see, Mrs. Betssy Chávez is not being prosecuted for her ideas. He is being prosecuted because there is a presumption that he committed a crime. It’s totally different.
Is anything known about the purchase of fighter planes by the Dina Boluarte government? The US also sent an offer.
Yes, indeed, I believe we are in the final stage of decision regarding the three offers that we have received, that is an issue that is fundamentally in charge of the Ministry of Defense, but naturally it has political implications and it is an issue about which we talk. In short, there has not yet been a decision made.
How is the dialogue with Colombia progressing regarding Santa Rosa Island?
I would say that the last meeting I shared was a positive meeting because it focused on discussing what is actually the main problem, which is the fact that Leticia is going to be left without access to the Amazon River. At that meeting, Peru expressed its best willingness to support and help solve this problem.
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He also pointed out that Peru’s position regarding Venezuela is the same: “Venezuela is a country that is today governed by the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro. We consider that the electoral process ended with the victory of Edmundo González Urrutia. We continue to maintain that position with complete firmness.”
·About the recomposition of relations with Bolivia said: “Happily, the change of government that will take place in a few days has allowed President Jerí to talk with the Bolivian president-elect and in that conversation they have agreed to resume the normal level of relationship. That is, to have an exchange of ambassadors.”
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