Displaying items by tag: Paul Flores

A thirty-day state of emergency has been declared in Lima following a surge in violent crime. President Dina Boluarte’s government made the decree after the murder of popular cumbia singer Paul Flores, who was killed in an attack on a bus. The move allows police and military forces to detain suspects with fewer restrictions, limiting freedoms of assembly and movement. The decision follows weeks of rising violence, including an explosion at a restaurant that injured eleven people. There have been 459 killings so far this year, and nearly 2,000 extortion cases in January alone. Boluarte has raised the possibility of the death penalty for murderers, though at present Peruvian law only permits it for treason. Opposition lawmakers are demanding a no-confidence vote against the interior minister, accusing him of failing to curb crime. Public outrage remains high as Peru struggles to restore security.