Cheyenne Suarez

Peru to impose state of emergency in capital after wave of violence

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><br/></div><p>Peru&#x27;s new government said Thursday that a state of emergency will be declared in the capital Lima, after weeks of anti-government protests over corruption and organized crime.</p><p>It comes after a man was shot dead by police on Wednesday and more than 100 people were injured after protests turned violent near the capital&#x27;s Congress building.</p><p>The South American country has been rocked by protests for weeks, and lawmakers voted last week to impeach then-president Dina Boluarte, who critics blamed for a surge in crime and accused of corruption.</p><p>The youth-led demonstrations have brought thousands of Peruvians, frustrated by the authorities&#x27; failure to address the worsening crime crisis, onto the streets in Lima and several other cities.</p><p>&quot;We are going to announce the decision to declare a state of emergency at least in Metropolitan Lima,&quot; head of the cabinet Ernesto Alvarez told press after a leadership meeting.</p><div><br/></div><p>- First person to die -</p><div><br/></div><p>Peru&#x27;s police chief said Thursday that an officer from the criminal investigation directorate was believed to have fired the bullet that killed 32-year-old rapper Eduardo Ruiz on Wednesday.</p><p>The officer, who was attacked by the crowd, has been detained and will be dismissed from his job, General Oscar Arriola said.</p><p>Ruiz was the first person to die in the protests led by the youth collective Generation Z.</p><p>At least 113 others -- 84 police officers and 29 civilians -- were injured when thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Lima Wednesday.</p><p>The protests began with a peaceful march, but clashes broke out after some protesters tried to breach the security barrier around Congress as night fell, an AFP correspondent said.</p><p>Others in the crowd hurled stones and lit fireworks, to which police in riot gear responded with tear gas.</p><p>The National Coordinator of Human Rights, an NGO, had earlier said that Ruiz may have been shot dead by a plainclothes police officer.</p><div><br/></div><p>- &#x27;Young people are tired&#x27; -</p><div><br/></div><p>Peru is experiencing an unprecedented wave of violence, with dozens of bus drivers, musicians and other victims killed for refusing to pay protection money to gangs such as Peru&#x27;s Los Pulpos and Venezuela&#x27;s Tren de Aragua.</p><p>Immensely unpopular former president Dina Boluarte was impeached by Congress for her failure to tamp down crime.</p><p>Jose Jeri, who had been speaker of the legislature, took over as interim president six days later.</p><p>On Thursday, the right-wing Jeri asked Congress to give him special powers to enact emergency security laws, without having to put them to a vote.</p><p>Thursday evening dozens of young people attended a vigil, lighting candles and laying flowers at the spot where Ruiz died.</p><p>&quot;The circumstances of his death were truly shameful,&quot; Solaris Raez, a 25-year-old university student, told AFP.</p><p>They also called for Jeri&#x27;s government to be ousted.</p><p>&quot;We young people are tired of the violence, the corruption, tired of the daily death and extortion,&quot; said Ariana Palomino, a 30-year-old independent shopkeeper.</p><div> </div><div><strong><br/></strong></div>

<p>Peru's new government said Thursday that a state of emergency will be declared in the capital Lima, after weeks of anti-government protests over corruption and organized crime.</p>

Peru's new government said Thursday that a state of emergency will be declared in the capital Lima, after weeks of anti-government protests over corruption and organized crime.