Peru Declares State of Emergency

TDT | LIMA

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The Peruvian government announced plans to impose a state of emergency in the capital, Lima, following weeks of anti-government demonstrations that escalated into violent clashes, leaving one person dead and more than a hundred injured.

The decision was revealed by Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez after a cabinet meeting on Thursday, amid growing public anger over corruption and the government’s inability to curb rising crime rates.

“We are going to announce the decision to declare a state of emergency at least in Metropolitan Lima,” Álvarez told reporters.

The unrest intensified on Wednesday when a protest near the Congress building turned violent. According to authorities, 32-year-old rapper Eduardo Ruiz was shot dead during the confrontation — becoming the first fatality in the ongoing protests led by the youth collective known as Generation Z.

Peru’s police chief, General Óscar Arriola, confirmed that a plainclothes officer from the criminal investigation unit allegedly fired the fatal shot. The officer, who was reportedly attacked by demonstrators, has been detained and will be dismissed from duty, Arriola said.

At least 113 people — including 84 police officers and 29 civilians — were injured during the clashes. What began as a peaceful rally quickly descended into chaos after some protesters attempted to breach security barriers surrounding Congress. Police responded with tear gas as demonstrators threw stones and lit fireworks.

The protests erupted after lawmakers voted to impeach former president Dina Boluarte last week. Boluarte, accused of corruption and mismanagement, had faced mounting criticism over her handling of the country’s crime wave.

The demonstrations, largely driven by young Peruvians, have swept across Lima and several other cities, reflecting widespread frustration with political instability and the government’s failure to restore public security.

Authorities are expected to officially declare the state of emergency in the coming days, granting security forces broader powers to maintain order as tensions continue to rise nationwide.