 | |
 Peru |  United States |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Embassy of Peru, Washington, D.C. | Embassy of the United States, Lima |
| Envoy | |
| Peruvian Ambassador to the United States Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velásquez | American Ambassador to Peru Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath |
Peru and the United States established relations on May 2, 1826, following Peru's independence from Spain.
Through the Cold War, the United States focused its foreign policy of promoting anti-communism in Peru instead of assisting with democratic efforts. [1] During the administration of Ronald Reagan, Peru was ignored by his government. [1] When President Fernando Belaunde Terry visited President Reagan in Washington in 1983, Reagan gave the Peruvian president only thirty minutes of time, with one of Reagan's aides saying "[President Belaunde] wasn't even offered a cup of tea". [1]
Relations reached their lowest point during the United States invasion of Panama of 1989 when Peru recalled its ambassador in protest of American military actions. [2] [3] However, relations were restored and have recovered and vastly expanded in the decades since.
The United States heavily supported the presidency of Alberto Fujimori under Plan Verde, of which Fujimori mainly served as a figurehead for Vladimiro Montesinos, a Peruvian intelligence official with deep links to the Central Intelligence Agency. The United States also supported Fujimori through his seizure of power and an internal insurgency. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Peru enjoys strong and cooperative relations with the United States. Relations were strained following the tainted reelection of former President Alberto Fujimori in June 2000.
Relations improved with the installation of an interim government in November 2000 and the inauguration of the government of Alejandro Toledo in July 2001. Under Alan García's administration were positive. The United States continues to promote the strengthening of democratic institutions and human rights safeguards in Peru and the integration of Peru into the world economy.
The Cuzco Consulate assisted a group of American backpackers who were attacked by Peruvian villagers who suspected the group were "cattle rustlers". [9]
In 2002, nine people died when a car bomb detonated by suspected rebels in the Peruvian capital just days before a visit from American President George W. Bush.
During its time as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 2006 to 2007, [10] Peru (despite having refrained from openly participating in George Bush's "War on Terrorism" itself), alongside the U.S. and the West, repeatedly voted in favor of extending the authorization mandate of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, [11] [12] and increasing sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear program. [13] [14]
The U.S. and Peruvian governments criticized North Korea's 2006 nuclear test; according to an official notice issued by the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "This is a serious event, that violates the effective moratorium for nuclear tests, constitutes a threat to international peace and security and aggravates the tensions in the Korean Peninsula and in the Northeastern Pacific." The note also remarked that, "as a state member of the Security Council, the Government of Peru considers that, in accordance with the Chart of the United Nations, this situation must be examined through the existing multilateral mechanisms". Peru urged North Korea to unconditionally return to the Six-Party Talks and to suspend all activity related to its nuclear program and also reiterated its "firm commitment with non-proliferation efforts, and the suitable mechanisms for the promotion of the strategic stability, international peace and security".
In 2007, Peruvian Foreign Minister José Antonio García Belaúnde said that his country opposed America's occupation of Iraq, and called for the immediate withdrawal of US military forces from the country: "We are against the invasion of Iraq, and hope the military forces will leave that country soon to bring sovereignty back," noting the Iraqi situation was very complex and the invasion was a mistake on Washington's part.
In 2008, Peru joined the U.S. and its allies in recognizing Kosovo, [15] and ultimately refused to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia, [16] yet opposed the U.S. and Israel by recognizing Palestine in 2011, claiming "no pressure from any side". [17] In reaction to the Libyan Civil War, Peru became the first country to cut ties with Libya "until the violence against the people ceases" as a result of the aerial bombing of Tripoli. Peru's President Alan García stated, "Peru strongly protests against the repression unleashed by the dictatorship of Muammar al-Gaddafi against the people who are demanding democratic reforms to change the government which has been led for 40 years by the same person." Garcia said that Peru would ask the UN Security Council to establish a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent the use of the country's warplanes against the population. [18]
Upon the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011, Garcia credited the death of bin Laden to late and recently beatified Pope John Paul II, saying, "His first miracle was to remove from the world the incarnation of evil, the demonic incarnation of crime and hatred..." He also said that bin Laden's death "vindicates [former U.S. President] George W. Bush's decision to punish Bin Laden and patiently continue this work that has borne fruit". [19]
While Peru's Deputy Foreign Minister José Beraún Araníbar condemned "the excesses committed by the government of Syria" in a 2012 interview, [20] Peru later joined Ecuador and Russia in taking a common stance on the Syrian civil war, with Araníbar stating, "The principle of non-interference has been adopted and advocated by the United Nations and Peru means to keep to it in the Syrian case," also stressing that Peru saw a political dialogue as the only viable means of peace enforcement and supported a joint UN/Arab League initiative to this effect, indicating Peru would not likely support a U.S. intervention. [21]
In June 2013, Peruvian President Ollanta Humala visited the White House and together with U.S. President Barack Obama promised to strengthen ties between both nations, including in the fight against narcotics trafficking and in tightening economic ties. [22]
The US government condemned Pedro Castillo's attempted self-coup in December 2022 and welcomed the appointment of Dina Boluarte as president. [23] [24] Castillo eventually alleged that the United States aided his removal. [25] [26] [27] The US also initially supported Boluarte amidst civil unrest against her government and allegations of authoritarianism. [28] Relations have deteriorated under the government of her after the U.S condemned Peru for human rights violations. [29] 15 Democratic members of Congress also condemned the Peruvian government, expressing concern over the 'authoritarian' practices Congress of the Republic. [30] Relations were further complicated after President Joe Biden was widely criticized for describing Boluarte's government as democratic, while democratic backsliding has reportedly hit an all time high in Peru. [31] [32] [33]
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U.S. investment and tourism in Peru have grown substantially in recent years. The U.S. is Peru's number one trade partner, and economic and commercial ties will deepen if the U.S.–Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) is passed by the U.S. Congress. About 200,000 U.S. citizens visit Peru annually for business, tourism, and study. About 16,000 Americans reside in Peru, and more than 400 U.S. companies are represented in the country.
The United States and Peru cooperate on efforts to interdict the flow of narcotics, particularly cocaine, to the United States. Bilateral programs are now in effect to reduce the flow of drugs through Peru's port systems and to perform ground interdiction in tandem with successful law enforcement operations. These U.S. Government-supported law enforcement efforts are complemented by an aggressive effort to establish an alternative development program for coca farmers in key coca growing areas to voluntarily reduce and eliminate coca cultivation. This effort is funded by the Department of State's Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Peru remains part of SICOFAA (whose creation was proposed by the Peruvian Air Force in 1964) and the Rio Pact, requiring it and the U.S. to assist each other in case of attack, and continues to be a regular participant in RIMPAC, an international maritime military exercise led by the U.S. to promote stability throughout the Pacific in the event of potential conflicts ranging from China invading Taiwan or North Korean aggression against its neighbors.
The politics of the Republic of Peru takes place in a framework of a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Peru is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the President and the Government. Legislative power is vested in both the Government and the Congress. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Peru a "hybrid regime" in 2022.
Alberto Kenya Fujimori Inomoto is a Peruvian former politician, professor, and engineer who served as President of Peru from 1990 to 2000. Fujimori, a Peruvian of Japanese descent, was an agricultural engineer and university rector before entering politics. Frequently described as a dictator, his tenure is marked by both significant economic reforms and severe human rights abuses.
Vladimiro Lenin Ilich Montesinos Torres is a Peruvian former intelligence officer and lawyer, most notorious for his role as the head of Peru's National Intelligence Service (SIN) during the presidency of Alberto Fujimori. Montesinos wielded significant power behind the scenes, often regarded as the true authority in the government, supported by the Peruvian Armed Forces.
The President of Peru, officially called the Constitutional President of the Republic of Peru, is the head of state and head of government of Peru. The president is the head of the executive branch and is the Supreme Head of the Armed Forces and National Police of Peru. The office of president corresponds to the highest magistracy in the country, making the president the highest-ranking public official in Peru.
Valentín Toribio Demetrio Agustin Paniagua Corazao was a Peruvian lawyer and politician who briefly served as 55th President of Peru from 2000 to 2001. Elected President of Congress on 16 November 2000, he ascended to the presidency as incumbent Alberto Fujimori and both his Vice Presidents resigned by 22 November 2000.
The Japanese embassy hostage crisis began on 17 December 1996 in Lima, Peru, when 14 terrorist members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) took hostage hundreds of high-level diplomats, government and military officials and business executives. They were attending a party at the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Peru, Morihisa Aoki, in celebration of Emperor Akihito's 63rd birthday. Although the crisis took place at the ambassadorial residence in San Isidro rather than at the embassy proper, it is often referred to as the "Japanese embassy" hostage crisis.
Relations between Afghanistan and the United States began in 1921 under the leaderships of King Amanullah Khan and President Warren G. Harding, respectively. The first contact between the two nations occurred further back in the 1830s when the first recorded person from the United States explored Afghanistan. The United States government foreign aid program provided about $500 million in aid for economic development; the aid ended before the 1978 Saur Revolution. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 was a turning point in the Cold War, when the United States started to financially support the Afghan resistance. The country, under both the Carter and Reagan administrations committed $3 billion dollars in financial and diplomatic support and along with Pakistan also rendering critical support to the anti-Soviet Mujahideen forces. Beginning in 1980, the United States began admitting thousands of Afghan refugees for resettlement, and provided money and weapons to the Mujahideen through Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The USSR withdrew its troops in 1989.
The National Intelligence Service was an intelligence agency of the Government of Peru that existed from 1960 to 2001. It was headquartered at the Quiñones Building, the headquarters of the country's Defence Ministry.
Albania–United States relations are diplomatic relations between the Republic of Albania and the United States of America. Relations were first established in 1911 following Albania's independence from the Ottoman Empire, ending in 1939 due to German and Italian occupation in the Second World War, and re-established in 1991 after the fall of communism in Albania and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
The following activities were or are supposed to have been carried out by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Peru.
Syria–United Arab Emirates relations refer to the relationship between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Syrian Arab Republic. The UAE has an embassy in Damascus and Syria has an embassy in Abu Dhabi and a consulate-general in Dubai. Both countries are members of the Arab League, part of the Middle East region and share close cultural ties.
The nations of Mexico and Peru established diplomatic relations in 1823. Diplomatic relations were briefly cut in 1932 and reinstated again in 1933. Both nations are members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Lima Group, Organization of Ibero-American States, Organization of American States, Pacific Alliance and the United Nations.
José Pedro Castillo Terrones is a Peruvian politician, former elementary school teacher, and union leader who served as the President of Peru from 28 July 2021 to 7 December 2022. Facing imminent impeachment proceedings, on 7 December 2022, Castillo attempted to dissolve Congress and rule by decree. In response, the Congress of the Republic of Peru impeached him, resulting in his removal from office.
Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath is an American diplomat who is serving US Ambassador to Peru since June 20, 2024. She most recently served as Deputy Chief of Mission to Mexico.
Since 2016, Peru has been plagued with political instability and a growing crisis, initially between the President, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and Congress, led de facto by Keiko Fujimori. The crisis emerged in late 2016 and early 2017 as the polarization of Peruvian politics increased, as well as a growing schism between the executive and legislative branches of government. Fujimori and her Fujimorist supporters would use their control of Congress to obstruct the executive branch of successive governments, resulting with a period of political instability in Peru.
Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra is a Peruvian politician, civil servant, and lawyer currently serving as the President of Peru since 7 December 2022. She had served as the first vice president and minister at the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion under President Pedro Castillo. She served as an officer at the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (RENIEC) from 2007 until 2022.
The terruqueo is a negative campaigning and often racist method of fearmongering used in Peru that involves describing anti-Fujimorists, left-wing political opponents and those who are against the neoliberal status quo as terrorists or terrorist sympathizers, with the tactic primarily being used by right-wing parties and Fujimorists to create a culture of fear. United Nations experts have condemned the use of the terruqueo, describing it as an intimidation tactic used by the government.
On December 7, 2022, Pedro Castillo, the then-President of Peru, made an attempt to dissolve the Congress amidst looming removal proceedings. This move included the immediate imposition of a curfew, an attempt to establish an emergency government, and a call for the formation of a constituent assembly. Prior to this, Attorney General Patricia Benavides had accused Castillo of leading a criminal organization, a claim that contravened Article 117 of the Constitution of Peru. She had urged the Congress to remove him from office, leading to the third removal attempt against Castillo. Castillo defended his actions by arguing that the Congress, which had obstructed many of his policies, was serving oligopolistic businesses and had colluded with the Constitutional Court to undermine the executive branch, thereby creating a "congressional dictatorship". He also advocated for the immediate election of a constituent assembly, a demand that had been echoed since the 2020 Peruvian protests.
Following the ousting of president of Peru, Pedro Castillo on 7 December 2022, a series of political protests against the government of president Dina Boluarte and the Congress of Peru occurred. The demonstrations lack centralized leadership and originated primarily among grassroots movements and social organizations on the left to far-left, as well as indigenous communities, who feel politically disenfranchised. Castillo was removed from office and arrested after announcing the dissolution of Congress, the intervention of the state apparatus, and the establishment of an "emergency government", which was characterized as a self-coup attempt by some media organizations and institutions in Peru while Castillo's supporters said that Congress attempted to overthrow Castillo. Castillo's successor Dina Boluarte, along with Congress, were widely disapproved, with the two receiving the lowest approval ratings among public offices in the Americas. Among the main demands of the demonstrators are the dissolution of Congress, the resignation of Boluarte, new general elections, the release of Castillo, and the formation of a constituent assembly to draft a new constitution. It has also been reported that some of the protesters have declared an insurgency in Punos's region. Analysts, businesses, and voters said that immediate elections are necessary to prevent future unrest, although many establishment political parties have little public support.
Ana Cecilia Gervasi Diaz is a Peruvian diplomat who was the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs between 10 December 2022 and 6 November 2023.
This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.
Lester: Though few questioned it , Montesinos was a novel choice. Peru's army had banished him for selling secrets to America's CIA, but he'd prospered as a defence lawyer – for accused drug traffickers. ... Lester: Did Fujmori control Montesinos or did Montesinos control Fujimori? ... Shifter: As information comes out, it seems increasingly clear that Montesinos was the power in Peru.
important members of the officer corps, particularly within the army, had been contemplating a military coup and the establishment of an authoritarian regime, or a so-called directed democracy. The project was known as 'Plan Verde', the Green Plan. ... Fujimori essentially adopted the Green Plan and the military became a partner in the regime. ... The self-coup, of April 5, 1992, dissolved the Congress and the country's constitution and allowed for the implementation of the most important components of the Green Plan
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