Peru Declares 30-Day Emergency in Lima; Soldiers Deployed

Interim President José Jerí declared a 30-day state of emergency in Lima and neighboring Callao to confront a surge in violent crime and organized extortion. The decree took effect at midnight and permits soldiers to operate alongside police, suspends rights such as freedom of assembly and movement, and includes measures ranging from limits on two adults riding a motorcycle to tighter prison-visit rules and even power cuts in cells. Authorities cite rising homicides — 1,690 Jan.–Sept. versus 1,502 in the same period of 2024 — and say the order responds to weeks of protests that helped topple former president Dina Boluarte; the unrest has left at least one person dead and hundreds injured. Critics say an earlier emergency did little to curb violence, warn of civil‑liberties risks, and say the new measures could disrupt daily life and major events, including uncertainty around the Copa Libertadores final in Lima. Soldiers and police were widely visible on streets, train stations and buses on the first day as authorities began enforcement.