stated on Monday night that the current government's top priority is to restore peace of mind to citizens who are being threatened by criminal gangs.
Remarks were made after overseeing an operation that led to the capture of a criminal gang allegedly responsible for extorting 12 transportation companies in southern Lima.
"As a government, our top priority is to restore peace of mind to citizens. The rights of criminals—who are enemies of the State—are of no particular concern to me. What matters to me are the rights of citizens who are being threatened day after day," he expressed.
The top official stressed that while the police must adhere to legal procedures, he is entitled to express his opinion and to make clear that priority must be given to safeguarding public peace of mind, adding that actions will be taken with citizens in mind and defending their rights.
From Lima's Surco district, where he was overseeing a police operation, the President reported that the alleged ringleader arrested last night had previously been captured by the police and released due to excessive detention time.
"He was extorting around 12 transportation companies and many small retail businesses in southern Lima. This is a significant blow because we have dismantled the ringleaders of criminal gangs. These systematic daily strikes will help ensure that perceptions of insecurity and victimization begin to decline," Jeri indicated.
The Head of State explained that the location of the alleged suspect was the result of intelligence work, which made it possible to track him down even as he moved between districts in an effort to avoid being detected by the police.
The top official also highlighted the "Allies for Security – State of Emergency" TV show, which will air daily on TVPeru and serve to inform citizens about the actions being taken by the government in the fight against citizen insecurity.
The operation was carried out with the participation of Interior Minister Vicente Tiburcio and Peruvian National Police General Commander Oscar Arriola.
Following this operation, President Jeri arrived in the Condevilla area, San Martin de Porres district, where another alleged suspect involved in extortion was also arrested.