He state of emergency decreed by the Government in Metropolitan Lima and Callao continues to generate reactions among local authorities. The measure, which suspends constitutional rights and allows the participation of Armed forces in support of the National Policeseeks to stop the wave of violent crimes and reinforce security in the areas most affected by crime.
In that context, the mayor of San Juan de Lurigancho (SJL), Jesus Maldonadomaintained that the president José Jerí will evaluate releasing prisoners who do not represent a danger to societyespecially those with serious, terminal illnesses or disabilities. The statement was offered during an interview with Successful Newsin the midst of the application of new control measures in his district, one of the hardest hit by insecurity.
During his intervention on the radio, Maldonado stated that the eventual release of vulnerable inmates is part of the analysis that the Executive will carry out. “Many people who are deprived of their liberty are terminally ill, seriously ill, people in wheelchairs who are unable to move and it will be the president’s evaluation, because that means adding to overcrowding,” he indicated.
The mayor specified that the review of cases should not be confused with a general release. “Not to free the child or the one who deserves to be there, but to the people who do not pose a danger to society,” he emphasized. According to him, the measure would have a humanitarian approach and would seek to alleviate the prison overloadwithout compromising the safety of the population.
He Peruvian prison system is going through one of its most critical stages. According to figures from National Penitentiary Institute (INPE)the country’s prisons exceed 120% of their capacity. The prison of San Juan de Luriganchothe largest in Peru, houses thousands of inmates in overcrowded conditions and deficiencies in medical care.
Various specialists have warned that the lack of infrastructure and resources to care for inmates with serious illnesses or disabilities generates a humanitarian problem. Given this, the need for differentiated policies that prioritize health and human rights has been insisted on, without neglecting public safety criteria.
During the management of Dina Boluartethe Executive approved the Legislative Decree No. 1585which modified various norms of the Criminal Procedure Code and the Criminal Execution Code with the purpose of addressing prison overcrowding. The standard incorporated the ex officio review of preventive detentionallowing judges to evaluate every six months whether the reasons that justified the measure are maintained and, if applicable, replace it with a restricted appearance.
The decree also expanded the mechanisms of redemption of sentence for work or study and facilitated the use of personal electronic surveillance for those prosecuted and convicted with sentences of no more than ten years, especially in cases of culpable crimes. However, despite its implementation, the provision did not generate a significant impact in reducing prison overcrowding, and prisons continued to operate above their capacity.
So far, the Executive has not issued a statement on the statements of the mayor of SJL. The possibility that President Jerí considers releasing people in vulnerable conditions has generated expectations amid the tightening of the security measures established by the state of emergency.
Infobae Peru He contacted Mayor Jesús Maldonado to expand his statement, but did not receive a response until the closing of this note.
