Peru orders arrest of ex-prime minister under Mexico asylum in Lima

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LIMA (Reuters) -A Peruvian Supreme Court judge on Friday ordered the arrest and five-month preventive detention of former Peruvian Prime Minister Betssy Chavez, who is currently under asylum at the Mexican embassy in Peru’s capital Lima.

Chavez briefly served as prime minister during the administration of ousted and jailed former President Pedro Castillo. She is being prosecuted for the alleged crime of conspiracy against the state and participation in Castillo’s attempt to shut down Congress at the end of 2022. 

Prosecutors are seeking a 25-year prison sentence for Chavez, who denies having known of Castillo’s plan.

The arrest order, issued on November 18 by Supreme Court judge Juan Carlos Checkley and published on Friday, was sent to the national police and Interpol, according to a court resolution seen by Reuters.

Mexico granted Chavez asylum in early November, prompting Peru to sever diplomatic relations with Mexico. Peru’s Foreign Ministry has said it will consult with the Organization of American States before deciding whether to grant safe conduct to the former prime minister. 

Castillo, who is in preventive detention and on trial for rebellion, defended Chavez during a court hearing on Friday and rejected the accusations against him.

“I am not here to ask for acquittal. I am not here to ask for clemency or sympathy. I am here to demand justice,” he said during the trial, which began in March and is now in its final stages.

Chavez, also a former legislator, had been in prison since June 2023 and was released in September to stand trial while free.

(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Editing by Bill Berkrot)