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Ebrard announces postponement of Pacific Alliance Summit after arrest of Peru’s Pedro Castillo

Mexico City, Mexico — “Mexico regrets the latest events in Peru and wishes respect for democracy and human rights for the good of that endearing brotherly people,” Marcelo Ebrard posted Wednesday after news of the arrest of Peru’s Pedro Castillo.

On Wednesday, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico posted the remark after learning of the arrest of Castillo. There, he also said that the Pacific Alliance Summit scheduled for December 14 would be postponed.

“Given the latest events in Peru, it has been agreed to postpone the Summit of the Pacific Alliance that would take place on December 14 in the City of Lima. I will keep you informed,” he added on Twitter.

Castillo was arrested after Peruvian Congress endorsed his dismissal for “moral incapacity”, ignoring the president’s decision to dissolve Parliament. Castillo’s removal was approved by 101 votes out of a total of 130 congressmen. The voting took place at the Congress headquarters and was broadcast live on television

Lima police arrested former President Pedro Castillo on Wednesday, filing a criminal complaint for various crimes. He was arrested and admitted by police authorities to the seventh police region of Lima.

After learning of his arrest, Mexico’s President posted “non-intervention and self-determination of the peoples is a fundamental principle of our foreign policy. That is what we stick to in the case of what happened in Peru.

“However, we consider it unfortunate that, due to the interests of the economic and political elites, from the beginning of the legitimate presidency of Pedro Castillo, an environment of confrontation and hostility has been maintained against him, leading him to make decisions that have served his adversaries to consummate his dismissal with the sui generis precept of “moral incapacity”.

“Hopefully human rights are respected and there is democratic stability for the benefit of the people.”

The Attorney General in Peru, Daniel Soria, filed a criminal complaint with the National Prosecutor, against former President Pedro Castillo, for the alleged commission of the crimes of sedition, abuse of authority and serious disturbance of public tranquility.

Pedro Castillo said before his arrest that his opponents intended to “dynamite democracy” and rejected the accusations of corruption against him.

“They intend to blow up democracy and disregard our people’s right to choose, attacking the figure of the presidency to take advantage and seize the power that the people took from them at the polls,” said Castillo.

“I reiterate that I am not corrupt because my name and the good last name of my parents would never stain it,” he added at the ceremony attended by senior military commanders and various authorities, including the president of Congress.

Castillo, a former union member and rural teacher, has already survived two impeachment attempts in Congress. The first in December of last year and the second in March.