By Boris Differ on August 3, 2021
Following the inauguration of the new president Pedro Castillo on Wednesday, July 28, despite the destabilization attempts of the opposition led by the oligarchs Fujimori and ultra-right sectors backed by Washington, the president presented his new government and proceeded to give the guidelines of his new policy.
An important change is the change in international relations and the relationship with the tendentious “Lima Group”. We recall that this group was founded on August 8, 2017 in the Peruvian capital Lima; under the mandate of then President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski; by 12 Latin American countries under the impulse and control of the OAS and the U.S. Trump administration. Its sole declared objective is the destabilization and regime change against the Bolivarian government of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela while backing the “interim president” Juan Guaido, appointed by Washington to legitimize the coup d’état in Venezuela.
Before he took office, President Pedro Castillo had declared he would evaluate the exit of his country from the Lima Group and to make a turn in foreign relations based on the respect for the self-determination of peoples and democracy, rejecting interventionism and coup d’état.
The new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru, Héctor Béjar Rivera, announced on Monday a change of position in the foreign policy of his country in relation to Venezuela, while pointing out that his duty as Foreign Minister “is to improve bilateral relations”.
Regarding the future of the group, Béjar pointed out that “the Lima Group has its partners who have changed their policy, their points of view are different now”, so they will talk with them.
In statements to the press after receiving the Foreign Affairs portfolio from his predecessor, Allan Wagner, the new Foreign Minister said that the policy that will now govern Peru, with the new administration of Pedro Castillo, will be “a policy against unilateral sanctions and against blockades”, in relation to the coercive measures applied by the US against Venezuela and Cuba.
“Venezuela is a country that is blockaded”, emphasized Béjar, who indicated that from Peru they will advocate for understanding among the diverse political forces of that South American nation. He also praised the fact that in Venezuela there is “a universal social security system and a universal education system”, which can be replicated in other countries.
“Our concern is that, not only in Venezuela, but in Peru and in many other countries, the rights of marginalized people are respected, preserved and that the level of social welfare improves,” he said.
Last Friday, the new Peruvian Foreign Minister met with his Venezuelan counterpart, Jorge Arreaza, who said that during their meeting they discussed issues related to the recovery of “comprehensive relations, trade, policies of attention to migrants”, as well as the need to strengthen the mechanisms of union in Latin America
When asked if he plans to meet with Carlos Scull, appointed as Venezuela’s “ambassador” to Peru by Guaidó, Béjar said, “I don’t know who that gentleman is. I don’t know him.”
This turn marks an important change in terms of foreign relations of the Peruvian government, which until now had followed Washington’s orders to the letter. The first step to assert diplomatic independence has been taken, but many more will be needed to strengthen Latin American and international solidarity.
Source: Alainet translation Resumen Latinoamericano – English