Peru declares state of emergency amid surge in killings linked to extortion

ISTANBUL

Peru declared a state of emergency Sunday in the nation’s capital because of a surge in killings connected to extortion.

The order followed the death of singer Paul Flores, who was killed by hitmen while riding a bus with his bandmates after a concert outside Lima, according to officials.

The musicians had received threats from a criminal gang attempting to extort money, according to their representatives.

"It has been ordered that in the coming hours, a state of emergency be decreed throughout the province of Lima and the Constitutional province of Callao,” Gustavo Adrianzen, the head of the Cabinet, said on social media:

Adrianzen said troops would be sent to assist the national police, and a security meeting planned for the end of the month would be moved up to Tuesday.

"In the fight against organized crime, all Peruvians must stand united, overcoming all our differences of any kind," he said.

The Ministry of Culture honored Flores on social media, stating that the lead singer of the well-known group, Armonia 10, "won the hearts of thousands of Peruvians."

Extortion is a widespread issue throughout Latin America, but it has reached concerning levels in Peru. The surge is partly attributed to criminal organizations like Venezuela's Tren de Aragua, which operates in multiple Latin American countries.

Journalist Gaston Medina, covering the extortion crisis, was killed in January, and two others were injured in a separate bombing attack on a prosecutor's office that also investigates organized crime.

More than 400 homicides have been recorded since January, according to sources. Last year, Peru declared a state of emergency and sent in the military after a surge in bus driver killings linked to organized extortion. In the first 10 months of 2024, authorities received more than 14,000 complaints of extortion.