Peru’s newly formed government announced a state of emergency in Lima on Thursday, citing escalating organised crime violence and the massive protests that have erupted across the capital.
According to officials, the decision came after widespread unrest in response to rising gang activity and the public’s growing frustration with deteriorating security conditions. The unrest reached a boiling point on Wednesday when hundreds were injured and one person was shot dead by a police officer during violent street clashes near the Congress building in central Lima.
Following an emergency cabinet meeting, Ernesto Alvarez, head of the cabinet, said, “We are going to announce the decision to declare a state of emergency at least in Metropolitan Lima.”
The state of emergency will enable authorities to deploy military support to the police and temporarily suspend certain civil rights, including freedom of assembly and movement, in order to restore control in areas affected by gang-related crime and violent protests.
The Peruvian government stated that the measure is part of a broader effort to curb organised crime, which has intensified in urban centres, and to restore public safety after weeks of growing instability.
