At least one person was killed and dozens of police officers were injured overnight in Peru as widespread protests erupted against President Jose Jeri, who took office just days ago. The unrest, which swept through Lima and several other cities, marks the first major test of Jeri’s leadership amid rising public anger over corruption and crime.
The state ombudsman’s office confirmed Thursday that a 32-year-old man, Eduardo Mauricio Ruiz, was killed during Wednesday night’s demonstrations. Prosecutors said Ruiz died after being shot. Peru’s national police chief, Oscar Arriola, told reporters that officer Luis Magallanes, who had been physically assaulted during the protest, carried out the shooting. Magallanes is hospitalized and has been relieved of duty pending investigation.
Prime Minister Ernesto Alvarez announced that the government will declare a state of emergency in Lima within hours and is preparing a set of measures to address the growing security crisis.
The protests were called by young Gen Z demonstrators, transport workers and civil groups, and followed the dramatic midnight ouster of former President Dina Boluarte last Thursday. Thousands of protesters gathered across the country, with hundreds converging on Congress in Lima. Police fired tear gas while protesters hurled rocks, fireworks and burning objects.
Chanting “Everyone must go!” demonstrators tried to tear down metal barriers surrounding Congress, leading to clashes with security forces. Ruiz’s death will be investigated by the prosecutor’s office, while the Ombudsman’s office has called for accountability.
President Jeri expressed regret on X over Ruiz’s death, promising an “objective” investigation and blaming the violence on “delinquents who infiltrated a peaceful demonstration to sow chaos.”
After a meeting at Congress on Thursday, Jeri told reporters he would seek authority to legislate on public safety, with a focus on prison reform. Later in the day, Interior Minister Vicente Tiburcio announced plans for comprehensive reform of the national police, reporting that 89 officers and 22 civilians were injured during the protests and 11 people were detained.
Wednesday night’s unrest is a crucial bellwether for Jeri’s presidency, which will run until scheduled elections next July. At 38, Jeri has pledged to make fighting crime his top priority but is also facing scandals of his own, including corruption allegations and a now-shelved sexual assault investigation. He has denied wrongdoing and pledged to cooperate with any probe.
Boluarte, his predecessor, saw her popularity plummet to between 2% and 4% amid deadly protests during her tenure. Congress, which Jeri previously led, remains equally unpopular, with approval ratings in the single digits.
