PeruS government has extended a state of emergency in Lima and Callao for another 30 days, continuing a policy enacted last October to address escalating crime rates in the metropolitan area. the extension, which took effect November 21, grants expanded authority to the national police and military, including potential restrictions on civil liberties.President José Jerí has framed the situation as a “war” against delinquency, underscoring the severity of the security challenges facing the nation’s capital and its port city. This latest decree signals a continued commitment from the government to maintain order amid persistent concerns over citizen safety.
Peru’s government has extended a state of emergency in Lima and Callao for another 30 days, as authorities continue to grapple with rising crime rates in the metropolitan area. The extension, which went into effect November 21, allows for increased police and military presence and certain restrictions on civil liberties.
The decree extending the state of exception was published Thursday in the official gazette, El Peruano. It outlines that the National Police of Peru will maintain control of internal order, supported by the Armed Forces, and will determine intervention zones based on intelligence, crime statistics, and other data.
President José Jerí had previously announced the extension, nearing the end of the initial 30-day period that began October 22. He stated the government is not backing down in its efforts to combat criminal activity, describing the situation as “a war” against delinquency.
“Evidently, the state of emergency will continue,” Jerí said earlier this week. “Second, we are not giving in to the crime that, in response to any action by the State, reacts. It is evident the war in which we are against them.”
The decree is signed by President Jerí, along with Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez, and the Ministers of Defense, César Díaz; Economy, Denisse Miralles; Interior, Vicente Tiburcio; Justice, Walter Martínez; and Transport and Communications, Aldo Prieto.
According to the decree, the Unified Operations Coordination Command will report the results of the state of emergency to the Minister of the Interior within five business days of its conclusion. A final report, including recommendations, will then be submitted to the President, Congress, and the Judiciary.
Funding for the measures implemented under the decree will be drawn from the institutional budgets of the involved agencies and any additional resources authorized by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Jerí also noted that when he took office, he observed a rise in criminal activity and a perceived lack of state response. He claims his administration has since managed to curb the growth of crime and is now focused on reducing crime rates overall. The extension of the state of emergency underscores the government’s commitment to addressing the ongoing security challenges in Lima and Callao.
“The state of emergency will continue”
This week, the president José Jerí already had announced that the state of emergency in Lima and Callao will be prorogated, in order to continue with the actions undertaken by the Government to face the citizen insecurity.
The head of State made this announcement shortly before the end of the 30 days of the original measure, which entered into force last October 22.
“Obviously, the state of emergency will continue; that, on the one hand. Second, we are not giving in to crime that, in response to any action by the State, reacts. It is evident the war in which we are against them,” he said.
Jerí maintained that, when he assumed the Presidency, he found figures of criminality growing, with a “inaction” of the State. However, he indicated that his management has managed to control the growth of crime and that the next step is to make the figures decrease.
