Peru Declares State of Emergency Amid Surge in Violence

Peru's new president, José Jerí, has declared a state of emergency in the capital, Lima, as part of the government's efforts to stem a wave of violence that has led to the downfall of his predecessor, Dina Boluarte. The surge in killings, violent extortion, and attacks on public places has been a major concern for the country, with 1,690 homicides reported between January and September. In an attempt to tackle the issue, Jerí's government is considering deploying soldiers to help police and restricting some rights, such as freedom of assembly and movement.

Key Takeaways:

The state of emergency in Lima will last for 30 days, as declared by President José Jerí.
The government plans to adopt a new approach to fighting crime, described as "going from defense to offense."
Peru has seen a significant increase in killings and violent extortion in recent years, with 1,690 homicides reported between January and September.
The previous government of President Dina Boluarte declared a 30-day state of emergency in March, but it did little to reduce crime.
Former President Boluarte was removed from office by Peru's Congress on October 10, after an impeachment process due to her inability to tackle the crime wave.
Protests against the new president, José Jerí, turned violent on Thursday, resulting in one civilian death and over 100 injuries.

Statistics:

1,690 homicides were reported between January and September.
1,502 homicides were reported during the same period in 2024.
100 people were injured, including police officers and journalists, during the protests on Thursday.
The state of emergency in Lima will last for 30 days.

Sources:

AP News - LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru's new president declared a state of emergency on Tuesday in the government's latest attempt to stem a surge in violence,