Mexico postpones Pacific Alliance summit due to “events” in Peru

Lima, Peru — The summit of the Pacific Alliance, the trade bloc which includes Colombia, Peru, Chile and Mexico, was postponed due to “the latest events” in Peru.

Peru’s jailed President Pedro Castillo, who was ousted from power on December 7, had been prohibited to travel to the summit’s original location in Mexico City on November 24-26. 

Later, the meeting was rescheduled in Lima, Peru on December 14, due to a travel ban that was previously imposed on Castillo.

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard announced that the summit was postponed due to “the latest events” in Peru, referring to the impeachment of Pedro Castillo.

“Given the latest events in Peru, it was decided to postpone the Summit of the Pacific Alliance that would take place on December 14 in Lima’s city. I will keep you posted,” the Mexican official said on Twitter.

Dina Boluarte, who assumed Peru’s presidency on Wednesday, hopes that her Mexican counterpart, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), will be able to visit Peru to hand over the pro tempore presidency of the Pacific Alliance.

Peru’s new president said Thursday that she was already coordinating with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs to hold the meeting.

“We hope that President AMLO can come to Peru, as he had offered,” she told reporters.

Ms. Boluarte guaranteed that they await the president of Mexico with open arms and that, if the visit does not take place, the pro tempore presidency of the Pacific Alliance would be handed over via Zoom.

Before it was postponed, leaders who had confirmed their attendance at the summit include President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico, President Gustavo Petro of Colombia, along with Gabriel Boric of Chile.

The alliance’s goals are to promote the free movement of goods, services, capital and people and to promote greater competitiveness and economic growth in member countries.

The Pacific Alliance is the eighth largest economic power and the eighth-ranked export force worldwide. It represents 41% of Latin America’s GDP, and attracts 38% of foreign direct investment.