Andrés Manuel López Obrador declared persona non grata by Peruvian Congress

Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) has been declared persona non grata by the Peruvian Congress. The country's Foreign Relations Commission approved the motion declaring the President of Mexico as an unwelcome person on Monday, May 22, with eleven votes in favor, one against and three abstentions. The measure requests that the "necessary actions" be taken so that AMLO does not set foot on Peruvian soil, at least not during the term of the current president of Peru, Dina Boluarte.

AMLO defiantly responded to the decision by stating that he was proud of it. This is what he assured during his usual press conference. In it, he stated that "it is a mark of pride that those who act in this way declare me [persona] non grata, but it is not correct."

During his talk, AMLO also referred to the situation of Pedro Castillo, the former president of Peru, Pedro Castillo. The president was arrested in December on two pre-trial detention orders. AMLO disagrees with this, assuring that Castillo should be released: "They invent crimes, they fabricate crimes of corruption and others [against Castillo]. What should be done in Peru, in addition to giving the president freedom, [is] to restore him so that an agreement is made and general elections are called as soon as possible, and that it is the people of Peru who decide."

López Obrador thus became the second president to be named persona non grata by the Peruvian Congress. In February of this year, the country governed by Boluarte also named Colombian President Gustavo Petro as a person who is not welcome to step foot in Peru.