How many general commanders has the Police had in 13 months of the Government of Pedro Castillo?

This Saturday, August 27, the government of President peter castle once again made official changes of high command in the National Police of Peru (PNP). Through supreme resolutions signed today by the Head of State and the Minister of the Interior, Willy Huerta, the Executive made changes in the high command of the PNP, among which are: Commander General, Chief of Staff and Inspector General of the PNP.

In this regard, the Deputy Minister of Internal Order of the Ministry of the Interior, Abel Gamarra, rejected today that there is any relationship between the complaint filed by Pedro Castillo vs. Colonel Harvey Colchado and the modifications to the highest leadership of the National Police of Peru (PNP).

“It does not obey anything extraordinary or anything unusual, it is an almost normal process [¿Está relacionado a la investigación contra Pedro Castillo?] Nothing, there is no relation to any case. This is a change that occurs naturally because there is a change of minister and what happens is that the change of command has been delayed a bit, but it is a normal change”, manifested.

As is known, this is not the first time that the Executive, through the Ministry of the Interior (Mininter), has ordered changes of senior officers of the police institution.

To date, with the appointment of the PNP Lieutenant General Raúl Enrique Alfaro Alvaradolike the new Commander General of the National Police of Peruthe government of peter castle It has been established five changes regarding this charge.

1. Cesar Cervantes Cardenas

The PNP General Cesar Augusto Cervantes Cardenas took office as Commander General of the National Police of Peru in November 2020, during the government of former President Francisco Sagasti and when Rubén Vargas was serving as Minister of the Interior.

Therefore, when Pedro Castillo took office as head of state by winning the 2021 Presidential Elections, Cervantes Cardenas remained in office. However, General PNP ceased to be the General Commander of the National Police of Peru and was retired on September 2, 2021.

According to sources of Peru21the output of Cervantes Cardenas responds to what did not report on the raid on the premises of Peru Libre and property of Vladimir Cerrón held last saturday.

2. Javier Gallardo Mendoza

During the administration of the former minister John Carrasco Millions In the Ministry of the Interior, the appointment of General Javier Santos Gallardo Mendoza What Commander General of the National Police of Peru. The resolution was published on September 2, 2021.

However, on January 31, 2022, the Government of peter castle formalized the departure of the commander general of the PNP Xavier Gallardo. This occurred after the President of the Republic met with the former Minister of the Interior, Avelino Guillen.

According to sources of Peru21, Guillén had asked President Pedro Castillo to retire the commander general of the PNP because he considered it impossible to continue working with him.

In the published report, it is indicated that in addition to the complaints of alleged corruption in the promotions to generals and in the changes of staff positions, the resigning minister was clear that no policy or initiative that he wanted to promote – such as the declaration of emergency in Lima and Callao–was viable if the now-retired officer continued to lead the PNP.

3. Vincent Tiburcio

In February 2022, the Government appointed the PNP General of Arms Vicente Tiburcio Orbezo as the new commanding general of the National Police, replacing General Javier Gallardo Mendoza. The resolution was signed by the then Minister of the Interior, Alfonso Chavarry.

Tiburcio Orbezo is one of the 86 members of the Special Intelligence Group (GEIN) that participated in the Victoria operation that ended with the capture of the Shining Path (SL) terrorist, Abimael Guzman.

However, on May 23, Tiburcio’s departure was made official after Dimitri Senmache Artola was sworn in as the new Minister of the Interior, replacing Alfonso Chavarry.

4. Luis Vera Llerena

The Executive appointed on May 23 the lieutenant general of arms PNP Luis Alberto Vera Llerena, as the new general commander of the PNP, replacing Vicente Tiburcio Orbezo. This was recorded in the resolution signed by President Pedro Castillo and the former Minister of the Interior Dimitri Senmache Artola.

However, his departure from office was made official today, Saturday, August 27, with the appointment of PNP Lieutenant General Raúl Enrique Alfaro Alvarado, as the new PNP Commander General. To date, the current Minister of the Interior is Willy Huerta Olivas.

During his professional life in the police institution, Vera Llerena He held other positions such as inspector general of the PNP, director of the Fiscal Police, head of the II Lambayeque Police Macro Region, director against Human Trafficking, director of the PNP Environment, among others.

5. Raul Alfaro Alvarado

PNP Lieutenant General Raúl Enrique Alfaro Alvarado is the new Commander General of the National Police of Peru (PNP).

The appointment is made official in the Supreme Resolution 133-2022-INpublished today in the newspaper El Peruano, signed by the president Pedro Castillo Terrones and the Minister of the Interior, Willy Huerta Olivaswhich resolves to appoint Alfaro Alvarado in the aforementioned position.

Changes were also made official. Chief of the General Staff of the National Police of Peru (Vicente Marcelo Álvarez Moreno) Y Police Inspector General (Second Leoncio Mejía Montenegro) in the midst of the controversy generated by his request to remove Colonel Harvey Colchado before this institution for the raid on the Government Palace.