Jose Jeri (AP)
Peru’s President Jose Jeri announced a 30-day state of emergency on Tuesday in the capital, Lima, and the nearby province of Callao, citing the need to combat rising crime.”The state of emergency approved by the Council of Ministers will take effect at midnight on Wednesday and will last for 30 days in Metropolitan Lima and Callao,” Jeri said in a message broadcast by state television, as cited by AFP.The announcement comes after protests last week that left one person dead and over 100 injured. Jeri stated that the measure allows the armed forces to assist the police in maintaining public order, though he provided no further details.”We are moving from defence to offence in the fight against crime, a fight that will allow us to regain peace, tranquility, and the trust of millions of Peruvians,” he said.Under the state of emergency, the government can deploy the military to patrol streets and impose restrictions on gatherings and other civil liberties.This marks the first major action by the interim president since taking office nearly two weeks ago to tackle the escalating crime crisis.Jeri was sworn in earlier this month following the removal of former President Dina Boluarte and unveiled a new cabinet last week, pledging to make tackling crime a top priority. He has already faced his first major protest, led by civil society groups and young people from “Generation Z,” demanding action against rising crime. This is not the first time Peru has imposed a state of emergency to address security concerns.Lima was previously placed under a partial state of emergency from March to July following the murder of a well-known musician, a crime linked to organized criminal activity, as cited by France24. Over the past month, protests in Peru have left more than 200 people injured, including police officers, demonstrators, and journalists, and one man was shot dead by police. The country’s escalating security crisis, which has particularly affected the transportation sector, with at least 47 bus drivers killed this year in suspected extortion-related attacks, prompted the dismissal of former President Boluarte on October 10.
