Protestors clash with riot police near Peru's Congress in Lima following the death of rapper Eduardo Ruiz during anti-government protests. Image: The Hill.
(The Post News)– Clashes in the Peruvian capital, Lima, between anti-government protesters and riot police have left a man dead and more than 100 people injured, fueling the political crisis that has rocked the country since the impeachment of former President Dina Boluarte.
The victim was named as 32-year-old hip-hop artist Eduardo Mauricio Ruiz Sáenz, who was murdered during Wednesday night’s protests, when thousands demonstrated in front of Congress demanding Jerí’s resignation. Ruiz was shot by a man suspected to be a plainclothes police officer, witnesses said.
Left-wing Congress member Ruth Luque said preliminary reports indicated that Ruiz was shot in the chest. “He was simply socializing peacefully with his friends. Unfortunately, the bullet hit his chest. We want justice for him,” activist Milagros Samillan told Al Jazeera.
President Jerí posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he regretted Ruiz’s death and promised an “objective investigation.” He added that the protests had been infiltrated by “delinquents who aim to generate chaos.”
Police Officer Detained
Peru’s police chief, General Óscar Arriola, announced that officer Luis Magallanes had been detained and dismissed after allegedly firing the deadly shot. Arriola added that Magallanes was hospitalized following an attack by the protesters. The prosecutor’s office announced that it had launched an investigation into Ruiz’s homicide, collecting ballistic and audio-visual evidence. It added that the murder occurred “in the context of serious human rights violations.”
Late Thursday, Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez said a state of emergency would be declared in Lima within hours, as the government devised new security measures. Interior Minister Vicente Tiburcio reported that 89 police officers and 22 civilians were injured in the clashes, and 11 protesters were detained. Tiburcio also vowed to reform the national police force. “We are living through a moment that requires transparency and change,” he told Congress.
Jerí took office after the impeachment of Boluarte for “permanent moral incapacity.” He is the seventh president in eight years, a reflection of Peru’s chronic political instability. As the former president of Congress and member of the right-wing Somos Perú party, Jerí was sworn in to serve out the term until the next presidential election in April 2026. Protests started almost immediately, as protesters demanded “a clean slate” and accused Jerí’s party of enabling the government of Boluarte.
The student protesters, organized through social media networks like TikTok, have become the public face of the demonstrations. One of these influencers, who goes by the name “Lando,” posted that Jerí “embodies the same corrupt political class that destroyed our future.”
Mounting Challenges for Jerí
Jerí has promised to make public security a priority amidst the country’s surging wave of extortion and gang violence targeting transportation workers. But his government already faces credibility questions like past corruption and sexual assault allegations, which he denies. “It’s my job to provide stability and security,” Jerí said Thursday after meeting with lawmakers. He said he would request legislative authority to combat crime and overhaul the prison system.
Analysts believe Ruiz’s death may prove to be a watershed for Jerí’s short presidency. “This tragedy has added another layer to Peru’s political crisis,” said political analyst Mariana Sánchez. “It has enraged even more Peruvians who feel their leaders have forgotten about them.”
The protests, which started as a call for better wages and pensions for young people, have spread into a nationwide movement against corruption, inequality, and police brutality. As night descended on Thursday, the police once more used tear gas in downtown Lima, as protesters shouted, “Everyone must go!” a slogan that has become an emblem of Peru’s increasingly loud call for change.
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