Peruvian Foreign Affairs Minister Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea on Monday confirmed that the mandatory visa requirement for Mexican citizens seeking to visit Peru —a measure made official today by supreme decree— responds to the principle of reciprocity after Mexico unilaterally decided to require visas for Peruvian nationals.
"In terms of international relations, there are people who express their opinion, but they do not know and do not have to know about it; this practice is referred to as reciprocity," Gonzalez-Olaechea said in an interview with RPP Noticias.
Furthermore, he stated that
Supreme Decree No. 011-2024-RE has taken the consequences of this measure into account so as not to affect tourists with scheduled trips.
In this regard, the minister noted that the Migrations Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are working to implement improvements in the services provided at consulates so that Mexican citizens can be granted the Peruvian visa almost automatically.
"For days, we have been working at full speed on the implementation of necessary improvements in the services provided by the Migrations Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at consulates so that Mexicans can be granted the visa almost automatically," he explained.
Gonzalez-Olaechea acknowledged that the impact on tourism should be considered the primary concern regarding the visa requirement for Mexicans.
In this sense, he remarked that Peru receives around 6,000 to 7,000 Mexican tourists per month, which makes Mexico a country that delivers many visitors to Peruvian territory.
The Cabinet member lamented that Mexico could not be persuaded to reconsider its unilateral decision to require visas for Peruvian citizens, but reiterated that every State has the right to admit or not admit aliens to its territory.
(END) RMCH/CVC/RMB
Published: 4/8/2024