stated on Tuesday that criminal organizations are terrorist groups and must be confronted as enemies of democratic states and citizens.
It has been declared by criminal organizations that have spread terror among populations.
"The first step is to determine and define the enemy. These organizations are terrorist groups and must be confronted as what they are: enemies of the democratic state and law-abiding citizens," Fujimori indicated.
The top official emphasized that the first major challenge facing Peru is the frontal fight against delinquency and organized crime.
Before the United Nations General Assembly, the Head of State explained that Peru is now facing a war declared by transnational criminal organizations that have spread terror among our populations.
"In this war, there are no battlefronts or defined borders, and there are no international rules. The enemy has no uniform and hides among our own people. There is no possibility of surrendering or signing peace treaties," Fujimori stated.
"In this context, addressing this war as an isolated problem for each nation is not only a mistake we have been making, but also an advantage given to those criminal groups to strengthen themselves," she added.
The Head of State indicated that those groups strengthen themselves through illicit activities and various crimes, including drug trafficking, illegal mining, smuggling, human trafficking, murder, and extortion.
In her speech, the President explained that a clear definition and regulatory framework will allow Peru’s Armed Forces, in support of the National Police, to take decisive action against the threat to internal order posed by those criminal organizations in Peru.
The Head of State stressed that Peru recently joined the "Shield of the Americas" as a demonstration of its firm commitment to working in coordination with its partners on this highly complex challenge.
"In Peru, we will pursue crime, from the individual who carries out the acts to the network that sustains it. We will not back down in the face of those who attempt to impose terror over the law," Fujimori stated.
"Suppressing these organizations with the full force of the law is not enough if, at the same time, we do not address the challenge of developing a better education system," she added.
Education as a tool for transformation
The President stated that only by providing children and adolescents with effective learning opportunities can young people and adults enter labor markets and avoid being drawn into crime.
Therefore, the top official stated that the Government's second challenge is to turn education into a tool for social transformation, as well as for preventing violence and crime.
The top official specified that the quality of education and the depth of learning among youth lead to a better quality of life by generating higher incomes and healthier habits.
"My Government has launched a deep education reform in Peru. It will strengthen educational infrastructure, the provision of digital services, and the delivery of educational materials. We will also strengthen teachers’ capacity and teaching methods," she added.