The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty) announced this Sunday (25) that it has taken over the custody of the Mexican embassy in Peru amid a political crisis that has been ongoing since 2022. According to the Brazilian government, the representation includes the protection of the diplomatic representation buildings, the residence of the head of the mission, as well as assets, documents and official files.
The measure was taken at the request of the Mexican government and had the formal consent of the Peruvian authorities. Itamaraty reported that the action is supported by the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which regulates basic rules between countries.
“In response to the request of the Mexican government, and with the consent of the government of Peru, Brazil assumed the representation of Mexico’s diplomatic interests in Peruvian territory, in accordance with items “b” and “c” of article 45 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961. The representation includes the custody of the locations of the Mexican Embassy in Peru, including the residence of the head of mission, as well as its assets and archives”, stated Itamaraty in the short statement (see in full).
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The crisis between Peru and Mexico worsened in November last year, when the Peruvian government broke diplomatic relations after Mexico granted asylum to former Prime Minister Betssy Chávez. She faces charges for involvement in the December 2022 coup d’état attempt, led by then-president Pedro Castillo.
After the breakup, Peruvian President José Jerí ordered the person in charge of the Mexican embassy in Lima, Karla Ornela, to leave the country. The Mexican government classified the decision as “excessive and disproportionate” and argued that the asylum granted followed international law.
Mexico maintains a historic tradition of granting asylum to people who allege political persecution. In recent years, the country has also welcomed figures such as former Bolivian president Evo Morales and former Ecuadorian vice-president Jorge Glas.
Bilateral relations between Peru and Mexico began to deteriorate after the dismissal of Pedro Castillo, in December 2022. At the time, the then Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador granted asylum to the wife and children of the former Peruvian president.
Since then, the Mexican government has stopped recognizing Peruvian authorities, which has led to the withdrawal of ambassadors from both countries. Even with the diplomatic crisis, bilateral trade between Peru and Mexico was maintained.
Brazil’s actions in embassies
In August 2024, Brazil began to represent the interests of Peru and Argentina in Venezuela, amid the crisis involving the regime of Nicolás Maduro and the government of Argentine Javier Milei. At the time, the initiative drew attention because it occurred at a time of public tensions between Lula and the Argentine leader.
Milei went so far as to publicly thank the action for “Brazil’s willingness to take custody of the Argentine embassy in Venezuela”.
A few days after the overthrow of Maduro by the United States, an event celebrated by Milei, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) decided to end the role of representing Argentina. The following day, Brazil also informed Venezuela that it would leave control of the embassy, after internal discussions at Itamaraty and with direct approval from the president.
