Prime Minister Harper arrived in Lima last night on an official visit aimed at strengthening commercial and diplomatic relations between both countries.

Harper was accorded full military honors upon his arrival at the presidential palace in the Peruvian capital.

The visiting delegation also includes Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), Diane Ablonczy, and a group of Canadian lawmakers and business people.

This is Harper's second time in the country, and the first bilateral visit by a sitting Canadian prime minister to Peru. Harper's first visit was during the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in 2008.

Peru is Canada’s third-largest bilateral trading partner in Latin America and the Caribbean after Mexico and Brazil, and the third largest destination for Canadian direct investment in South and Central America.

The prime minister will travel from Peru to Cali, Colombia, where he will attend the Pacific Alliance Leaders' Summit.