Peru declared a state of emergency on Monday, following the detonation of explosives attacking the Public Ministry of Trujillo. Monday’s incident marks the second attack in Trujillo this year.
During the emergency state declared by President Boluarte to stop delinquency, the Presidency of Peru stated that “the Armed Forces and the police will take control of the city due to the state of emergency.” The Superior Court of Justice of La Libertad declared its commitment to “not succumb to any acts of violence.”
An unidentified individual posing as a delivery driver attacked the Public Ministry of Trujillo by leaving a package with explosive material that later detonated. Two explosions were detected, one originating from the package, which led to another car explosion.
Public Minister Delia Espinoza said in an interview that initial signs link the tragedy with illegal mining. Espinoza also revealed that days earlier, someone threatened a comptroller working on an organized crime case. According to Espinoza, these events show that the Minister of Interior makes promises he cannot fulfil, stating, “Constitutionally, the labor of prevention is for the police, there is no police intelligence.” Recent research shows that the disapproval of the current Minister of Interior, Juan José Santiváñez, peaked at 80 percent in December 2024.
Former minister of Interior Oscar Valdés criticized the low efficiency of the state of emergency because of the intelligence system, arguing that the government failed to address illegal mining and drug trafficking as the real threats to the country.
Illegal mining has been a controversial issue in Peru. On December 1, 2024, the Peruvian Congress extended temporary permits for “informal miners,” which critics argue are a part of systemic corruption that legitimized illegal mining and helped circumvent environmental regulations. In April 2024, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights also found that Peru’s failure to regulate mining activities violated inhabitants’ basic right to a healthy environment.
