Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed Tuesday that a summit of the so-called Pacific Alliance has been canceled because the Peruvian Congress did not authorize the president’s trip.
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo currently holds the presidency of the Pacific Alliance—a regional integration initiative made up of four countries: Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru—but is embroiled in disputes with Congress over allegations of corruption.
“They did not allow the president of Peru to attend,” Lopez Obrador declared. “It is probable that we can go to do the meeting there in December”.
Lopez Obrador also confirmed that Argentine President Alberto Fernandez and Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will not come to Mexico City this week.
Lopez Obrador harbored hopes of being able to receive the presidents of those two countries. However, he confirmed that the leaders of Chile and Colombia will come.
Castillo is under five investigations for corruption allegations. He has denied the accusations against him.
He cannot formally be charged by a judge because the Peruvian Constitution stipulates that the president can only be charged with treason, unjustifiably dissolving Congress, or not allowing elections.
Castillo was a rural teacher before shocking Peru’s political elite by winning elections after a campaign in which he promised to improve education, health care and other services. But his first year has been marked by almost constant turbulence, with several cabinet changes and two attempts to impeach him.
Source: El Nuevo Herald
