State of emergency in Peru's capital after wave of violence

PERU’S interim president Jose Jeri announced a state of emergency in Lima and the neighbouring port of Callao this week, after weeks of anti-government protests over corruption and organised crime.

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“The state of emergency approved by the Council of Ministers will take effect at midnight on Wednesday (yesterday) and will last for 30 days in Metropolitan Lima and Callao; Jeri said in an address to the nation broadcast by state television.

Under the state of emergency, the government can send the army to patrol the streets and restrict freedom of assembly and other rights.

This is the first major action by the interim president since he took office nearly two weeks ago to address the spiralling crime crisis.