BSS
  18 Oct 2025, 11:35

Peru suspends Lima police chief over violent protests

LIMA, Oct 18, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Peru's government on Friday suspended the police chief of the capital Lima after violent anti-government protests which left one person dead and over 100 injured, according to a statement seen by AFP.

General Enrique Felipe Monroy was suspended pending the outcome of an investigation into Wednesday's protest organized by the Generation Z youth collective, during which police shot dead a demonstrator.

Monroy has been head of Lima's police since January 2024.

His suspension was announced by national police commander Oscar Arriola, who answers to the interior ministry.

General Manuel Vidarte was named as Monroy's replacement.

Lima has been rocked by weeks of protests over corruption and the government's failure to tackle a wave of extortion rackets and contract killings.

The country's immensely unpopular former president Dina Boluarte was impeached by Congress last week for her failure to tackle violent crime.

Parliament speaker Jose Jeri took over in an interim capacity until a new president is chosen in elections set for April.