The practice of chaos: what tools will the state of emergency give the authorities of Peru

Interim President of Peru Jose Heri has declared a state of emergency in the country's capital to stop the explosive increase in crime. The republic is stuck in a political impasse: the seventh president in the last seven years came to power amid mass protests. Experts believe that the government is trying to repeat the tough but successful path of El Salvador in the fight against crime. However, there is a risk that the state of emergency will remain in place for a long time, especially with the upcoming general elections in 2026. About the new escalation in the Latin American country — in the material of Izvestia.

Why has a state of emergency been declared in Peru?

Amid a wave of violence in Peru, interim President Jose Heri declared a state of emergency in Lima and the nearby port of Callao on Tuesday. The regime comes into force on October 22 and will last for 30 days, as a measure to combat the increase in crime.

— Crime has increased disproportionately in recent years, causing great pain to thousands of families and slowing down the country's progress. But it's over. Today we are starting to change the history of insecurity in Peru," Jose said in an address to the nation.

The special status regime presupposes the suspension of the constitutional rights to personal freedom and security, inviolability of housing, freedom of meeting and movement. From now on, special permission will need to be requested even for religious, cultural, and sporting events. Special police control and patrol of critical areas, such as parking lots, metro stations, and government offices, will also be provided in emergency zones. Motorcyclists will be watched separately: two—wheeled vehicles are the most popular in the country. The military will work together with the police in the cities.

A new round of large-scale protests in Peru began on the evening of October 15. Thousands of people took to the streets in 15 regions of the country, including transport workers, university students, and trade union members. Literally on October 10, Congress unanimously voted to impeach President Dina Boluarte because of her "moral incapacity" — she is accused, in particular, of a failed policy in the field of combating crime. Boluarte's successor, Jose Heri, is the seventh head of state in the last five years.

A state of emergency has become the norm for Peru since the reign of Dina Boluarte, and there is nothing extraordinary or extraordinary about the introduction of this regime, Andrei Pyatakov, a leading researcher at the ILA RAS, told Izvestia.

— Jose Heri clearly wants to follow the path of the Salvadoran president, rule with a hard hand to solve security problems. If the Congress, which largely determines the country's policy, does not resist, then the Salvadoran style of solving security problems may well spread to Peru," the expert noted.

Recall that Salvadoran leader Nayib Bukele has launched a tough fight against crime since 2019. In particular, large prisons were set up and mass arrests were carried out. Human rights activists point to human rights violations. However, according to statistics, the number of murders actually decreased from 103 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2015 to 2.4 in 2024.

Regime response: will the introduction of emergency situations help stop the protests in Peru

What brought thousands of people to the streets and how can a popular uprising end?

How will the state of emergency affect the presidential election in 2026

Last time, the special regime in Lima was partially introduced between March and July after the murder of popular singer Paul Flores, which was blamed on organized crime.

"If a course is taken towards Salvadoran methods of solving security problems, then the state of emergency can be prolonged indefinitely and introduced throughout the country, and not just in the metropolitan region," Pyatakov believes.

The political scientist noted: the introduction of the State of emergency has a political significance. With his help, they are going to extinguish social protests and at the same time clear the way for Jose Heri to the elections in April 2026. Under special regime conditions, it is very easy to crack down on your political rivals by blocking their activities and those of their supporters.

Senior researcher at the ILA RAS Alexander Shinkarenko, in an interview with Izvestia, stressed that the introduction of a state of emergency may indeed be related to the upcoming elections.

— The election campaign is starting in Peru and the entire political elite is preparing for congressional and presidential elections. The bet here can be placed on the urban population of the metropolitan region," Shinkarenko said.

In his opinion, Jose Heri is unlikely to do this for his potential re-election, as this is not a common practice in Peru. His job now is to bring the country to the next election cycle with fewer losses for the state.

Are there any risks for Russians

The issue of tourist safety remains important. Currently, Russians can stay in Peru without a visa for 90 days. However, the situation is complicated by the lack of direct flights. Despite this, the tourist flow from Russia to Peru is increasing.

In 2024, 8,000 of our citizens visited the country, said Juan Genaro del Campo Rodriguez, the republic's ambassador to Russia. According to him, in the future it is possible to achieve the historical record set in 2019, when 10 thousand tourists from Russia visited Peru. There is also a Russian diaspora in this Latin American country. As of 2015, it numbered 1.6 thousand people.

Some popular places among Russian tourists in Peru are Cusco and Machu Picchu, as well as the city of Arequipa. At the same time, interest in Lima, which is considered the gastronomic capital of South America, is growing. However, in September, in connection with the protests, the Russian Embassy in Peru recommended that Russians postpone their trips to Machu Picchu to a later date.

At the same time, tourism is of particular importance for Peru. Last year, about 4 million travelers visited the country, mainly from Latin America, as well as the United States and Great Britain. Therefore, any instability threatens to reduce the tourist flow and economic losses.