Betssy Chávez, the former Prime Minister of Peru serving a sentence for her role in the failed December 2022 coup d’état, has broken her silence from Mexico. In a video message released to mark the 358th anniversary of the founding of Puno, Chávez described her current state as one of “nostalgia” and declared that the present political climate is a time when “one must resist.”
The reemergence of the former official, who faces an 11-year, 5-month, and 15-day prison sentence for conspiracy and rebellion, comes after a lengthy diplomatic standoff. Chávez had been living in the Mexican embassy in Lima since November 2025, waiting for the Peruvian government to authorize her departure. For the compute of the sentence, the time spent under preventive detention will be discounted, and the ruling includes a two-year disqualification from holding public office.
❗ 🗣 Betssy Chávez reaparece desde México: “Estamos en una época en la que se debe de resistir” La sentenciada y asilada ex primera ministra de Pedro Castillo envió un mensaje por el aniversario de Puno. Desde México, Betssy Chávez aseguró que siente "nostalgia" y que "es…”
A Contested Legacy in the Altiplano
Chávez, who also served as Minister of Culture during the Pedro Castillo administration from August to November 2022, leaned heavily into her ancestral roots in the Puno region to frame her message. She specifically invoked the provinces of El Collao—whose capital is Ilave, where her family lives—and San Román, highlighting the city of Juliaca. She also suggested that people take a pause to listen to music played to the rhythm of quenas and charangos.
While she expressed deep longing for her home, Chávez noted that her ability to communicate remains restricted.
Betssy Chávez reapareció desde México y saludó a Puno por su 358 aniversario. La expremier recordó sus raíces familiares y calificó a la región como “una tierra combativa, contestataria y fuerte”. pic.twitter.com/AXWPK4VQEI
The Diplomatic Path to Mexico
Chávez’s arrival in Mexico marks the conclusion of a complex diplomatic saga that strained relations between Lima and Mexico City. Following the failed coup of December 7, 2022, the Peruvian judiciary initiated criminal proceedings against her. The sentence—which includes a 12-million-sol civil reparation to be paid jointly with Pedro Castillo, Aníbal Torres, and Willy Huertas—was finalized after a period of intense legal scrutiny.
The diplomatic friction intensified after the Peruvian government under interim leadership previously broke off high-level relations with Mexico over the asylum request. The interim administrations of José Jerí in 2025 and José María Balcázar between 2025 and 2026 avoided commenting on the request, while Jerí’s administration decided to break diplomatic ties with Mexico once the asylum was granted, by which point bilateral relations were already managed at the level of chargés d’affaires. It was not until the current administration granted a safe-conduct that Chávez was finally able to leave the country.
The Political Landscape of the Fujimori Administration
The timing of Chávez’s message coincides with scrutiny of the government of Keiko Fujimori. While Chávez remains in asylum in Mexico, reports from Trome suggest that the political climate is currently dominated by debates over the administration’s performance, including a recent report by Senator Mirtha Vásquez titled “One Hundred Days of Disorder,” which critiques the government’s approach to national security and institutional integrity. Additional political friction involves a bill presented by the Juntos por el Perú bench, driven by Deputy Analí Márquez, seeking to extend the validity of the Mining Formalization Integral Registry (Reinfo) until December 31, 2028, and modify rules for mining concessions.
For Chávez, speaking out from abroad reinforces her message of “resistance.”
🔴🔵 A través de sus redes sociales, la expremier de Pedro Castillo, Betssy Chávez, envió un fraterno saludo a Puno por su aniversario 358 de fundación. Consideró a esta tierra como "combativa, contestataria y fuerte".https://t.co/IEM3hy3hhy
