Keiko Fujimori seeks to restore Peru-Mexico ties

Peru's president-elect Keiko Fujimori said Thursday that she intends to restore diplomatic relations with Mexico, after formal ties were suspended in November.

"On my part, there will be every intention to restore relations between Peru and Mexico," Fujimori said as she left a public event in Lima. She gave no further details.

Peru broke off formal ties after Mexico granted asylum to former prime minister Betssy Chavez, who was on trial for allegedly aiding a 2022 coup attempt.

Fujimori won Peru's June 7 presidential runoff and is due to succeed interim leader Jose Maria Balcazar on July 28. She is set to govern until 2031.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that she had not yet spoken with Fujimori. Sheinbaum said Mexico would wait, and repeated Mexico's position that former president Pedro Castillo is being held illegally.

Castillo was ousted in 2022 after trying to dissolve Congress and rule by decree to avoid impeachment. He has been imprisoned for three years in a special penitentiary for former leaders at a police base east of Lima and was sentenced in November to more than 11 years in jail.

Relations between Lima and Mexico deteriorated after Castillo's ouster. Peru expelled Mexico's ambassador after Mexico granted asylum to Castillo's wife and children. Castillo's successor, Dina Boluarte, also temporarily recalled Peru's ambassador to Mexico City and accused Mexico of meddling in Peru's affairs.