( CNN ) -- Peruvian President Alan Garcia left Singapore on the eve of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit after reports surfaced that an air force officer was accused of spying for the Chilean government , Peru 's foreign minister said Saturday . `` We do consider , from the information that have received , that we need an explanation and sanctions to those involved , '' Foreign Minister Jose Antonio García Belaunde told CNN en Espanol Saturday . He added that he does `` not have all the elements of the story here in Singapore , '' but confirmed that the suspect is `` under arrest and in the hands of the judicial power in Peru . '' Garcia and his Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet had planned to attend a workshop Saturday with other world leaders , but the Peruvian leader canceled his agenda to return to Lima . However , there were no plans for a bilateral meeting between leaders from both countries , Belaunde said , dismissing reports that there had been such a session scheduled for Sunday . Belaunde said he has spoken to Chilean Foreign Minister Mariano Fernandez Amunategui about the case , but that his counterpart would not have information until he returns to Santiago . Meanwhile , a Chilean spokeswoman dismissed the espionage allegations . `` Chile does not spy , '' Carolina Toha , spokeswoman for Chile 's Interior Ministry . `` Chile takes international relations as a serious matter . '' APEC 's 21 member nations -- ranging from Thailand to United States , Chile to China -- represent more than half of the world 's economic output . The forum sees its goal as `` facilitating economic growth , cooperation , trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region . '' Chile and Peru have a history of animosity , having fought in the War of the Pacific from 1879 to 1883 . Hard feelings linger to this day . The two nations nearly came to war in 1975 when left-wing Peruvian leader Juan Velasco , who was backed by Cuba , wanted to invade Chile , which was led by right-wing Gen. Augusto Pinochet . The invasion was called off and Velasco was deposed in a coup a short while later . Tensions rose again when Peru discovered a Chilean spy mission , but war was averted . More recently , tensions between the two South American nations flared in December after the revelation that Peru 's top army general said at a party that Chileans in neighboring Peru would be sent back in coffins or body bags . At the time , Peruvian Defense Minister Antero Flores-Araoz said relations between the two nations will be repaired , calling the incident involving Peruvian Gen. Edwin Donayre `` a bump in the road . '' Bachelet had made similar assertions . Also last year , the World Court agreed to look at an issue concerning Peruvian claims to a disputed maritime area .
President Alan Garcia left Peru on the eve of the summit meeting . Air force officer was accused of spying for Chile , Peru 's foreign minister said . A spy is ` ` in the hands of the judicial power in Peru , '' foreign minister said . Chilean government dismissed espionage allegations : ` ` Chile does not spy ''