Peruvian Prime Minister Gustavo Adriansen said that a state of emergency will be declared in the region of the capital Lima and the neighboring city of Callao, reported the state-run Peruvian television “Te Ve Peru“, quoted by BTA.
The decision was made after a cabinet meeting at the government palace and provides for the deployment of the armed forces in support of the country's National Police.
The head of government announced that the measure will be officially implemented in the next few hours, with the goal of strengthening the security of citizens in the face of increasing crime. As part of this measure, the military will work together with the National Police to strengthen the fight against organized crime.
Among the decisions taken is to change the date of the meeting of the National Council for Citizen Security, originally scheduled for March 28. Instead, it will take place today at the Government Palace. The purpose of this meeting is to coordinate strategies and strengthen security policies in the country.
The Prime Minister also announced that a plan is being worked on to issue a decree for a comprehensive reform of the prison system. This initiative aims to improve prison management and optimize control mechanisms to combat criminal groups operating in prisons.
The declaration of the state of emergency comes after the murder of singer Paul Flores, a member of the musical group “Harmony 10“, indicates “Te Ve Peru“. The bus the band was traveling in was attacked while en route to an event.
Adriansen expressed his regret over the musician's death and offered his condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. He also assured that this crime would not go unpunished and that the necessary measures would be taken to find the perpetrators.
President Dina Boluarte also announced that soldiers would be deployed to help fight crime, including the spread of extortion schemes.
Recently, the country has reported a wave of violent crimes, Reuters notes.