Citizen Initiative Demands Peruvian Interior Minister's Resignation Amid Rising Violence

A protester carries a sign against Venezuelan migration in a march in the Lima district of La Victoria, Peru, on Thursday, November 9, 2023.

In a dramatic response to escalating violence in Peru, a citizen-led initiative is demanding the resignation of the country's Interior Minister, Vicente Romero. This move reflects growing public discontent with the government's handling of crime and safety issues.

The capital city of Lima, particularly its impoverished areas, has become a focal point of these protests. On Thursday, residents from one such area, located near a major food market known as La Parada, marched to the outskirts of Congress. Many of these protesters, including numerous mototaxi drivers, expressed frustration over being extorted by criminals without adequate protection from authorities.

The situation reached a tipping point on Tuesday when 33 legislators submitted a motion to censure Minister Romero, citing his lack of effective strategies in combating criminal activities. This submission, accessed by The Associated Press, paints a grim picture of daily life in Peru, plagued by various criminal acts ranging from extortion, human trafficking, and murders to armed confrontations involving police and security forces.

For a minister's resignation to be successful, it requires at least 66 votes from the 130 members of Peru's unicameral Congress. Whether this motion will gain traction remains uncertain, and Minister Romero has yet to comment on the call for his resignation.

This political turmoil follows the Congress's rejection on Monday of a major government initiative proposed in July. The plan aimed to bolster police ranks by swiftly training 50,000 new officers, including ex-soldiers and unemployed youth, reducing the regular training period from three years to one.

In response, the government announced the formation of three new police groups: The Special Group Against Organized Crime (GRECCO), the Brigade Against Extortion, and the Foot Patrol Group. These units, drawn from various police divisions, are part of a concerted effort to address the escalating security crisis.

The issue of citizen security stands as the primary criticism against the administration of President Dina Boluarte, as confirmed by various surveys. The statistics further underscore the gravity of the situation: extortion cases in Peru have surged by over 50% in the first eight months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, with 12,730 complaints recorded, according to police data.

Despite Peru, a South American nation of 33 million people, having a police force of 133,880 officers – approximately one officer for every 245 inhabitants, which is above the United Nations' suggested ratio of one officer per 333 people – the country continues to grapple with a significant public safety challenge. This situation has catalyzed the public outcry and the subsequent political actions, highlighting the urgent need for effective solutions to combat the rising tide of violence in Peru.