Members of several unions clashed with police on Wednesday, the 30th, in the Peruvian capital during a small-scale protest against a package of laws requested by the government of President Keiko Fujimori.
The Executive asks Congress for authorization to legislate for 120 days in dozens of areas, with measures aimed at fighting crime, addressing El Niño, and pursuing economic initiatives.
This was the first demonstration against Fujimori in Lima since the government took office, although in August there were regional shutdowns in Loreto and Ucayali, with criticism especially of rising fuel prices.
The government asked Parliament for powers to legislate for 120 days in more than 60 topics and to approve tax, labor, penitentiary, migratory, and economic measures, arguing that it would promote employment, small businesses, investments, and productive development.
Unions, however, say they see in the package points that could weaken labor rights. Luis Solís, leader of the workers’ union at the Ministry of Transport and Communications, told the Associated Press that the government is trying to introduce measures to remove caps on bank interest rates, reduce the rights of young workers, and weaken labor guarantees. Among the protesters were representatives from sectors such as textiles and construction.
On Tuesday, Fujimori stated in the Ica region that the request for legislative powers is “important” because the government needs to respond to El Niño — already evident in the north of the country, with constant rains — and also to confront a persistent wave of crime.
So far, the Chamber of Deputies has not yet approved the Executive’s request.
In August, the Fujimori government decreed a 60-day state of emergency in Lima and the Callao port to combat crime. In early September, Peru joined the “Shield of the Americas,” an initiative led by the United States against transnational crime.
Fujimori took office in July, promising to restore order in a country struck by extortion and homicides. According to official data, reports of extortion rose from 2,421 in 2019 to 26,734 in 2025. Source: Associated Press.
*Content translated with the aid of Artificial Intelligence, reviewed and edited by the Broadcast editorial staff, the real-time news system of Grupo Estado.
