Óscar Arriola knew that the criminal action of one of his own, which he himself publicly accepted a day ago, did not have to affect others. For this reason, very early on Friday, the General Commander of the Police summoned all the members of the units that acted during the protests last Wednesday to offer them his support and highlight their work on that fateful day.
At the historic Potao barracks in Rímac, Arriola recognized his police officers at a difficult time for his institution. The violent mobilization in the streets of Lima not only ended up sending two non-commissioned officers to prison – one of them murdered a protester with his weapon – but also hastened the departure of the institution’s senior officers, responsible for the actions during the protests and key actors in the fight against citizen insecurity.
Minutes before the ceremony, a resolution signed by Arriola was announced that made three changes in the chain of command official: General Manuel Vidarte assumes the leadership of the Lima Police Region; General José Antonio Zavala is in charge of the Criminal Investigation Directorate (Dirincri) and General Julio Óscar Mariño will lead the Police Intelligence Directorate (Dirin).
According to the resolution, generals Enrique Felipe Monroy, Marco Conde Cuéllar and Augusto Ríos Tirabanti have been held in office until the summary process they face for the criminal outcome of the mobilization on October 15 is completed. The three appointees retain their original position, but now from their new positions they must execute a new strategy, not only to confront the new marches, but also the crime that devastates the country.
José Jerí was also present in Potao, who recognized the police officers’ commitment to the country and the defense of the constitutional order. In clear support for the troops, he pointed out that “particular situations should not be understood as a discredit for the institution.”
“We are here so that you feel that support as police officers. Peru thanks you not for October 15, not for today, tomorrow or the day after; it thanks you every day,” said the acting president, emphasizing that strengthening the police institution requires more than speeches.
“Thank you very much for everything you have done, but, above all, for everything you will continue to do,” Jerí concluded his message in which he announced that his government has been evaluating concrete actions to reinforce security throughout the country, including the declaration of a state of emergency in Metropolitan Lima and a possible curfew, announced on Thursday by Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez, and which until the closing of this edition had not been made official.
The president took the opportunity to make it clear that his is a government that engages in dialogue, but that knows how to make decisions.
“We are a government that engages in dialogue, but that does not mean that we do not know how to make decisions when necessary. We propose alternatives, but we also know how to act,” he indicated.
TAX REQUEST
The death of Eduardo Ruiz near Plaza Francia hit the institution hard. Luis Magallanes, the murderous police officer, and the third non-commissioned officer Omar Saavedra were detained by the PNP and the Third Supraprovincial Prosecutor’s Office Specialized in Human Rights and Counterterrorism has now requested their preliminary judicial detention, seeking to ensure the presence of both agents while they are being investigated for the crime of qualified homicide.
Stefano Miranda, Magallanes’ lawyer, has demanded due process for his client. In conversation with
Perú21TV rejected that its client be held responsible without an objective investigation having been completed.
Regarding the guilt of the non-commissioned officer, the Minister of the Interior, Vicente Tiburcio, preferred caution, pointing out that investigations must be exhausted to determine his responsibility in the rapper’s death.
“Just like any citizen, the non-commissioned officer has the right to exercise his defense regarding the events that occurred, and it is the responsibility of the authorities to provide justice,” he declared.
Tiburcio specified that Magellan was part of the planning during the march.
“General Arriola has reported that there would be a non-commissioned officer from the Dirincri of Kidnappings… One of the alleged actors in the incident. However, this is in the investigation process,” he clarified. But when confronted about the verbatim words of Arriola, who identified the protester’s murderer, the head of the Interior considered that we should not get ahead of the facts. “This is a process that has to be investigated,” he explained.
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