Peru creates military-police command to fight crime

Peru's President Keiko Fujimori announced the creation of a joint military-police authority to fight organized crime as the country faces a major security crisis.

Fujimori said at a ceremony at army headquarters on Wednesday that Peru would establish a “unified command to confront and defeat criminality and crime”. She said a major operations center would direct actions.

The Unified Command will be made up of 1,350 elite military and police personnel. Fujimori did not specify who will lead it or whether civilian authorities will have a role.

Peru has recorded a rise in killings and extortion reports. Homicides rose from 1,000 in 2018 to 2,600 last year, while reports of extortion increased from 3,200 to 26,500 over the same period.

Fujimori took office in July after campaigning on a promise to crack down on crime. Her late father, Alberto Fujimori, served as Peru's president from 1990 to 2000 and was later convicted of human rights violations.