MELBOURNE/MEXICO CITY (Aug 7): Mexico has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Oct 1 inauguration of President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, Russia's Izvestia newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing Mexico's embassy to Russia.

"Russia's invitation to take part in the inauguration of President Sheinbaum was sent to President Putin," a representative of the Mexican embassy said, according to Izvestia.

"The Russian President will decide whether he will participate in the ceremony himself, or appoint another high-ranking official to do so on his behalf."

Mexico's foreign ministry later told Reuters that the government had sent diplomatic notes to all nations with which it had relations, as well as international organisations of which it is a member, inviting them to Sheinbaum's inauguration.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Putin in 2023, accusing him of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine, after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on its smaller neighbour in February 2022.

While Russia is not a member of the ICC, Mexico is. But the two countries have been forging close ties, with Putin congratulating Sheinbaum on her June win, saying that Mexico is Russia's "historically friendly partner in Latin America".

The foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a question regarding how Mexico's ICC membership would affect Putin's possible attendance at Sheinbaum's inauguration.

A Russian military unit took part in September 2023, in a parade marking Mexico's independence day, spurring sharp criticism of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that his country gave a platform to forces that invaded Ukraine.

  - Reuters