Lima faces political turmoil, public anger

(MENAFN) Far from the capital, in the Amazon city of Yurimaguas, Peruvians like Emerita Napo struggle to survive in the informal economy, selling cigarettes and candy to make ends meet. Relying on daily loans from unregistered moneylenders, Napo describes her daily life as dominated by corruption and neglect. “If I don’t borrow, I can’t work. There’s so much corruption in Peru,” she said.

Like Napo, millions across the country work informal jobs without contracts, benefits, or safety nets. “We’re completely ignored out here. We need a leader who governs for the people in the provinces. The way things are in Lima right now, we hardly even know who’s running the country,” she added. At Yurimaguas’ busy market, 60-year-old Gilmer Lingan shared similar frustrations, noting that political leaders in Lima do not represent the realities of life in Peru’s provinces. “Our only hope is to kick out this corrupt congress,” he said.

Nearly 700 kilometers away, Lima is facing yet another political upheaval. Earlier this month, President Dina Boluarte was impeached for failing to address rising violent crime, and 38-year-old Jose Jeri, a former lawyer and member of the conservative Somos Peru party, was hastily sworn in as Peru’s eighth leader in less than a decade.

The constant turnover in Lima has intensified longstanding frustration among residents in Peru’s historically marginalized regions. Jeri, a newcomer who briefly led Congress, now faces the challenge of guiding the country to national elections scheduled for April amid escalating protests, criminal activity, and political instability.

Boluarte herself had come to power following the impeachment of populist ex-president Pedro Castillo, whose removal triggered political violence across the country. Her tenure, marred by scandal and accusations—including allegedly accepting bribes in exchange for luxury gifts—ended after lawmakers finally cited “permanent moral incapacity” as grounds for her removal.

Jeri enters office with his own controversies, including a 2021 sexual assault allegation and accusations of illegal enrichment, both of which he denies.

Political analysts say that Peru’s central government has increasingly become a tool for partisan and financial interests, weakening judicial oversight and enabling criminal networks to flourish, especially in remote areas. Alonso Cardenas, political science professor at Lima’s Antonio Ruiz de Montoya University, said, “They don’t care about the people, they don’t care about the country, they don’t care about politics. It’s all about power and their ability to benefit from illegality.”

The country is facing a surge in crime, including extortion, gang violence, and homicides. Police data show 18,385 small-scale extortion complaints in the first eight months of this year—a nearly 30% increase from 2024—and more than 1,684 homicides reported since January.

Nationwide protests earlier this month, led by students, transport workers, and civil groups, condemned worsening security and corruption. Violent clashes in Lima near the Congressional palace left over 100 injured, and the fatal shooting of 32-year-old protester Eduardo Ruiz by police has sparked outrage. Security forces were also accused of excessive force during demonstrations in 2023 that left 50 anti-government protesters dead.

Jeri has refused to resign, pledging to “declare war on crime” and blaming violence on agitators “who infiltrated a peaceful demonstration to sow chaos.” His administration declared a 30-day state of emergency in Metropolitan Lima, authorizing the Armed Forces to assist police in combating criminal networks. Analysts note that his immediate priorities include maintaining public confidence, asserting independence from Congress, and preserving stability through the transitional period.

In Loreto, deep in the Amazon, residents are acutely aware of the disconnect between Lima and the provinces. Farmer Halber Huinapi, 33, from the Shawi village of Louis Terry, monitors political developments from afar. “The Peruvian government has never given us anything.
We’re abandoned out here. We want politicians who aren’t thieves, we want to live in peace and harmony, is that so much to ask?” he said.

For many in Peru’s rural and remote regions, the political instability in Lima is more than a distant headline—it is a daily reality of neglect, insecurity, and lack of representation. The growing divide between the capital and the provinces underscores the urgent need for leadership that addresses the country’s structural inequalities and restores trust in public institutions.

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