Joint Command of the Armed Forces responds to Aníbal Torres

The Joint Command of the Armed Forces issued a statement in the evening hours of this Thursday, July 7, in response to the words of the Prime Minister Hannibal Torreswho knows expressed negatively about the performance of the FF. AA. and the National Police of Peru. In this sense, he criticized said bodies of “not providing adequate security to the country”.

These statements were given at a conference given by the former representative of the Justice portfolio to defend the work of the peasant roundsAfter the controversy caused by the kidnapping of a “Fourth Power” journalistic team by a group of patrolmen in the department of Cajamarca.

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“(The peasant patrols) combated real crime and effectively disappeared cattle rustling, theft, crimes against property in general, and violence against women. We would already like our police forces and our armed forces to provide the same security to the entire country,” Torres commented.

In this sense, the Joint Command defended the work being carried out by the Army, Navy and Air Force in relation to the fight against drug trafficking and the terrorist remnants, as well as the tasks of pacifying the emergency zones, which is why they rejected the statements provided by the head of the PCM, since they indicate that “they distort the work carried out by its members at the service of the Nation.”

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In this sense, they stated that the tasks of the Armed Forces are governed by what is dictated by the Political Constitution of Peru, in particular, what is contemplated in article 165 of the Magna Cartawhich details the jurisdictional limits of the armed forces.

Statement issued by the Armed Forces. Photo: Twitter/CCFFAA

What are the tasks of the Armed Forces according to the law?

Article 165 of the Constitution clearly stipulates that The Armed Forces “have as their primary purpose to guarantee the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic. They assume control of internal order in accordance with Article 137 of the Constitution”, that is, they have functions other than citizen security and would only assume said task when a state of emergency is declared by the Executive.

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Thus, security and internal order are the task of La National Police of Peruaccording to article 166 of the Magna Carta, which states that The PNP “has the fundamental purpose of guaranteeing, maintaining and restoring internal order. It protects and helps people and the community. It guarantees compliance with the laws and the security of public and private assets. Prevent, investigate and combat crime”.