Peru’s new president launches ‘war on crime’ with sweeping prison raids: Video
Peru’s newly appointed president, Jose Jeri, began his term with an aggressive crackdown on organised crime, personally overseeing a nationwide prison raid designed to disrupt criminal networks operating from behind bars.
In his first official act outside the Government Palace, Jeri visited Ancon I prison, north of Lima, as part of a coordinated operation targeting four major facilities — Ancon I, Lurigancho, Trujillo, and Challapalca. The raids aimed to dismantle extortion schemes, contract killings, and other crimes allegedly orchestrated by inmates.
According to the National Penitentiary Institute (INPE), more than 200 specialised agents, backed by canine units, carried out searches through cells and hidden compartments, seizing mobile phones, SIM cards, improvised weapons, and drugs.
“This extraordinary search was ordered by the President of the Republic to combat crime, particularly organised contract killings that often originate from inside prisons,” said INPE president Ivan Paredes Yataco, who accompanied Jeri during the inspection.
The raids mark the first step in Jeri’s declared “war on crime,” a promise he made immediately after being sworn in following the impeachment of Dina Boluarte. Under Peru’s Constitution, the President of Congress assumes power in the absence of a vice-president. Jeri will serve as interim head of state until new elections are scheduled for April 2026.
Analysts say his administration faces the urgent challenge of restoring public trust in national security institutions after years of political instability and rising violence.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
