MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mexico, Peru Recall Ambassadors From Cuba

Relations between Cuba and Mexico continued to worsen Monday when the Fidel Castro regime accused the government of Mexican President Vicente Fox of arrogance, mendacity and stupidity.

The scathing communiqué was issued a day after Mexico decided the expulsion of Cuban Ambassador Jorge Bolaños and recalled its ambassador from Havana.

"The Foreign Ministry rejects this new attack against Cuba and warns that those statements inspired by arrogance, stupidity and mendacity, will receive an opportune response".

The Havana document describes the situation as "just one more mistake by the Mexican government", bitterly complaining about the fact that Ambassador Bolaños was notified of his ousting five minutes before the measure was publicly announced.

Mexico announced on Sunday night that it was calling home its ambassador in Cuba, Roberta Lajous, and expelling Bolaños arguing alleged involvement of Cuban diplomats in Mexican political affairs; Fidel Castro's criticism of the Mexican position in the UN human rights commission supporting condemnation of Cuba, and protesting for Havana allegations that Mexican officials were implicated in a corruption case involving a Mexican businessman recently arrested and deported from Cuba.

Mexico also ousted the Political Attaché from the Cuban Embassy, Orlando Silva Fors, for having invited to Mexico Cuban Communist Party representatives who were actually "undercover agents" with diplomatic passports and were involved in "Mexican domestic political activities".

The latest decision by President Vicente Fox's conservative administration culminates a series of disagreements with the Castro regime and threatens to end diplomatic relations between the two countries that have been close allies for nearly a century.

Santiago Creel, Mexican Home Secretary said the "problem of our government is plainly and clearly not with Cuban citizens, but with the government of Cuba, with Castro".

Mr. Creel added that "we're not concerned with political parties but with the attitude of foreign governments. No foreign passport gives the right to force Mexico's constitutional rule".

The Mexican decision to oust Cuban diplomats was "carefully meditated and assessed", because these actions are not decided "at the moment or merrily", underlined Mr. Creel.

Finally the Home Secretary admitted that the situation had been "accumulating" since the incident between President Fox and Mr. Castro in the Monterrey summit, as well as further actions including the May first speech..

Peru downgrades relations

A similar attitude was adopted by the Peruvian government on Sunday when it recalled its Ambassador in Havana following "offensive remarks" about Peru and President Alejandro Toledo made by President Fidel Castro on May first.

Diplomatic relations from now on will be at interim Chargé d'affairs level, indicated the Peruvian government.

In an official statement by the Foreign Relations Ministry the government said Deputy Foreign Minister Luis Solari had recalled Ambassador Juan Alvarez Vita from Havana and had presented Cuban Ambassador Rojelio Sierra a formal note of protest.

In his May Day speech Mr. Castro criticized the Latin American countries (among which Mexico and Peru) who voted for the resolution approved on April 19 by the United Nations in Geneva asking Cuba to cooperate with international mechanisms to protect human rights.

According to press reports, the Cuban leader had harsh words for Peru and Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, calling the country "an example of the level of abjectness and dependence that imperialism and neo-liberalism has forced upon many Latinamerican regimes".

"The Peruvian government energetically rejects the offensive statements of the head of state of the Republic of Cuba against Peru, which necessarily will be reflected in bilateral relations," states the note from the Peruvian Foreign Ministry.

Referring to President Toledo Mr. Castro said he "doesn't lead or manage, nor can he lead or manage with a popular support of just 8%".