Fujimori Announces a Unified Police-Military Command, Urging Congress to Drop Party Flags and Fight Crime Together
LIMA - President Keiko Fujimori announced on October 8 that the government will create a Unified Command bringing together the Armed Forces and the National Police to coordinate the fight against organised crime. Peruvian daily Correo's October 8 roundup reported that Fujimori also delivered a tough message to Congress, calling on lawmakers to set aside political flags and prioritise crime. How the command will operate and what functions soldiers and police will each hold became the day's main questions in Peruvian media.
The announcement ties directly to the delegated powers under debate: the Chamber of Deputies granted the government 90 days of lawmaking authority on security and El Nino on October 6, with Senate review pending. The government had already stood up joint command arrangements and placed five high-risk prisons under a 60-day emergency; the October 8 announcement signals extending police-military coordination from prison perimeters to the streets. The Education Ministry said the same day that schools nationwide may reinstate expulsion for serious offences.
October 8 is also Peru's traditional day honouring naval hero Miguel Grau. Fujimori attended commemorations, praised Grau's legacy and urged that his example guide stronger national institutions, telling Congress she trusted it would follow that example.
Opposition lawmakers remain cautious about the scale of military involvement, demanding clearer civilian oversight and rules on the use of force. How the Unified Command connects with the delegated powers - and how the Senate votes - will set the real institutional limits of the order agenda.
Sources: Compiled from Correo's October 8, 2026 news roundup, El Comercio's same-day report on Fujimori's message to Congress, and Particle News on the unified command and prison emergency.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 利马格劳海军上将纪念碑，Felipe Restrpo Acosta 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0（Wikimedia Commons）
