- 30-day state of emergency enacted across Lima following tripled homicide rates since 2017
- 1,000 troops reinforce police checkpoints at transit hubs and commercial centers
- Extortion complaints skyrocket to 22,800 cases in 2024, devastating local enterprises
- Emergency decree permits warrantless home searches and restricts public gatherings
- Security experts warn of Ecuador-style cartel dominance without immediate intervention
Peru’s government has taken drastic action to address escalating violence in its capital, deploying military forces to key areas of Lima under a 30-day state of emergency. This decision follows alarming data showing homicide rates have more than tripled since 2017, with 2024 recording over 2,000 murders compared to fewer than 700 seven years prior. The surge in violent crime has created palpable tension among Lima’s 8 million residents, many of whom report feeling unprotected despite increased security measures.
The military deployment focuses on high-risk locations including major transit stations and business districts, where criminal activity has disrupted daily life. Small business owners describe being trapped in a cycle of fear, with Jorge Zapata of Peru’s National Business Confederation revealing that nearly 40% of Lima’s shops now pay extortion fees to criminal groups. This underground economy fuels what former Interior Minister Rubén Vargas calls a perfect storm of international cartel operations and local corruption.
Three critical insights emerge from the crisis: First, private security demand has grown 300% since 2020 as citizens lose faith in public protection. Second, tourism revenue has plummeted 28% year-over-year due to safety concerns. Third, the government is investing $15 million in AI-powered surveillance systems at major transit points, mirroring strategies used in Medellín’s crime reduction efforts.
The regional parallel to Ecuador’s security collapse looms large, with Peruvian analysts noting similar patterns of drug trafficking networks exploiting weak institutions. Like Ecuador in 2022, Peru faces growing contract killingmarkets and street gang consolidation. However, Lima’s emergency measures differ from neighboring strategies by combining military presence with financial investigations targeting crime proceeds.
As lawmakers debate Interior Minister Santivañez’s future, residents like Pedro Quispe voice frustration: We’re prisoners in our own city—risking robbery on buses or extortion at work.With constitutional rights temporarily suspended, the government walks a delicate line between restoring order and maintaining public trust during this critical security intervention.
