The Municipality of Lima requested the interim president of Peru, José María Balcázarurgently restore the state of emergency in the capital, given the increase in organized crime and the insecurity crisis that continues to plague the city.
The request, raised by the mayor of Lima, Renzo Reggiardo to the new president, came after the end of the extension of the state of emergency decreed by former president José Jerí as part of his strategy to curb insecurity in Lima and Callao became official.
In a statement issued by the Municipality of Lima, the current management stated that, although the declaration of emergency is not the only way to confront crime, it does consider it a crucial tool to manage the crisis and maintain control of the wave of violence.
He Mayor Renzo Reggiardoemphasized the need for citizen security to be a priority of the national government. “The President of the Republic must urgently worry about citizen security. It is essential to focus the Government’s agenda on combating crime with comprehensive and articulated decisions”, he stated.
Reggiardo also expressed the need to create a National Secretariat of Citizen Security led by a high-level authority. This new entity, according to the municipal proposal, would have the function of coordinating state actions and guaranteeing an inter-institutional approach in the fight against crime.
The mayor stated that combating crime requires the joint participation of various sectors and cannot fall solely on the National Police of Peru. Among the key institutions, he mentioned the Public Ministryhe Judiciaryhe National Penitentiary Institute (INPE) and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
According to the Municipality of LimaOnly a coordinated response between these organizations will make it possible to confront complex crimes and provide protection to the inhabitants of the capital. The municipal management insisted that they act firmly and protect the population “It is a priority that does not allow delays”.
The concern about insecurity is based on official data that shows a alarming increase in crime. During the management of José Jeríthe country recorded one of the highest homicide averages in recent years.
Between October 10 and 21, 2025, the National Police of Peru reported 54 homicides, equivalent to almost one violent death every four hours. The annual balance for 2025 reached 2,451 murders, with an average of 5.6 homicides per day, far exceeding previous periods.
Extortions also increased. In 2025, more than 25,000 complaints were registered for this crime, 18.9% more than the previous year. Transport unions and other sectors reported threats and forced payments to criminal gangs, while experts warned of high under-reporting for fear of reprisals. In the first 21 days of 2026, they added 589 additional complaints of extortion.
