Peru declares Colombia Pres. 'persona non grata' over police remarks

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
18 Feb 11:28

Peruvian lawmakers respond to the Colombian President's support for the people against the police crackdown on protesters with a "persona non grata" designation.

Gustavo Petro gestures during his swearing-in ceremony at Plaza Bolivar, in Bogota, Colombia, on August 7, 2022. (Reuters)

In response to Colombian President Gustavo Petro's remarks likening the Peruvian police to "Nazis", the Peruvian parliament approved a motion to declare him "persona non grata," according to the parliament's press office.

"Support was given to Motion 5607, which proposes to express its rejection of the statements made by the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, which constitute an offense to the National Police of Peru, and to declare him persona non grata," the parliament's statement read. The press office reported that the motion received 72 yes votes, 29 no votes, and 7 abstentions.

Petro reportedly said on February 11 that the Peruvian police marched "like Nazis against their own people" during almost three months of protests in favor of ousted President Pedro Castillo, which resulted in several deaths and hundreds of injuries.

The president of the parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, Maria del Carmen Alva Prieto, who also presented the motion to lawmakers, accused Petro of "constantly executing acts of political interference" in Peru's domestic affairs and of insulting the national police by comparing them to Nazis.

Peru's Foreign Ministry was requested to use the relevant diplomatic channels to send the document to the Minister Plenipotentiary of Colombia to Peru, Eufracio Morales.

Peru's parliament ousted former President Pedro Castillo in December 2022. Within two hours of the impeachment vote, then-Prime Minister Dina Boluarte took an oath as the country's new President, vowing to serve out the remainder of Castillo's term, which runs until July 2026.

A chain of events triggered a wave of protests across the country. Demonstrators have slammed the post-impeachment government, demanding a presidential election and the dissolution of the country's parliament.

Earlier this month, Peru's Congress voted down another proposal on February 3 to hold early elections this year, just one day after a similar measure aimed at quelling violent countrywide unrest failed.

Aside from delaying elections from April 2024 to July 2023, the rejected proposal included a referendum on creating a constitutional convention, which was another prominent demand of protesters. The proposal by the Free Peru party was rejected with 75 votes against it and only 48 in favor, with one abstention.