José Geri, Peru’s Millennial President and his Media’s War on Crime

• Look: Peru’s interim president justifies organized crime violence and declares state of emergency
• With a simple poll: Peruvian Congress dismisses President Dina Bolarte. The Secretary of Parliament assumes the position provisionally.

Mr. Geri, a 39-year-old millennial who is very active on social media, served as speaker of parliament until October 10, when he took over on an interim basis to replace Dina Bolarte, who was removed from office in impeachment proceedings amid mass protests over a wave of extortion and contract killings the country had never seen before.

Mr. Bolarte’s unpopular government was marked by his reluctance in the face of rampant crime. She faced a revolt from Generation Z, a group of young people between the ages of 18 and 30 who led the mobilization.

–What we are currently working on is firstly tackling the problem of delinquency head-on, which has not been done before. We’re on a country street, says Geri.

The conservative politician has been Peru’s seventh president since 2016, amid a permanent crisis that has tarnished the reputation of public authorities. For some people on the streets, there has certainly been a change.

– Something has changed compared to the previous administration, which didn’t even see a trace and didn’t talk to anyone, said Carmen Zuniga, 50, who runs a soup kitchen in Villa Maria del Triunfo, south of Lima.

Mr. Geri will remain in office until July 2026, when a new president will be elected in an election scheduled for April, in which he will not be able to run. Although his term is short, Geri has sought to make the most of his role, directing media operations at the Lima prison from his first day in office, always wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and his trademark hat.

Prisons have restricted access to the most dangerous inmates and imposed “blackouts” to prevent cell phone use. Early in the morning, he was seen crouching in a white uniform, overseeing the transfer of prisoners with chains on their hands and feet, an image many people associated with Bukele’s policies.

• In Lima: One person killed, over 100 injured in wave of protests and violence against politicians

In 2022, El Salvador’s president declared a “declaration of war” on gangs under an unusual regime that allows arrests without a court order. Although this has reduced the murder rate to historic lows, human rights groups charge that thousands of innocent people remain behind bars.

Jose Geri also declared a state of emergency in Lima and the neighboring port of Callao, allowing the military to patrol the streets and make arrests without court orders. This measure was already in place during the Bolarte administration.

“I am Jose Geri. Each has their own personality and style,” he told reporters when commenting on comparisons with his Salvadoran counterpart.

Tighter policies against crime are among the demands of protesters who have been mobilizing since September.

–Gyeri’s imitation of Bukele could yield results in the short term. While this is a good communication strategy, it will create a lot of expectations, which will collapse due to the strategy’s inefficiency, said Ricardo Valdés, a security analyst and director of the NGO Capital Humano y Social Alternativevo.

Valdez said a small portion of extortion in Peru takes place from prisons, with only 3% of the prison population having been convicted of this crime or pistol-whipping.

For now, Jeri is receiving support. According to research institute Ipsos, 45% of people approve of his management team, while 42% disapprove. Bolarte left office with just 3% support and was considered the world’s most unpopular president.

• “Rolex Gate”: Peruvian Public Ministry charges Dina Bolarte with passive corruption

The interim president has been careful not to reveal numbers about his strategy against crime. First and foremost, focus on the image.

— What I have seen are pure populist measures (…) They are not effective because they continue to extort and kill, — said Jose Rodríguez, 20, a member of “Generación Z” and an engineering student.