Peru’s Congress voted Friday to remove Interior Minister Juan José Santiváñez, citing his failure to curb a rising tide of violent crime across the nation. The no-confidence motion passed with 78 votes in favor, 11 against, and 20 abstentions, forcing Santiváñez to vacate his post within 72 hours under Peruvian law. Despite his claim of diligent efforts with police over his 10-month tenure, he pledged to honor the lawmakers’ decision.

Congress, via its X account, held Santiváñez accountable for “his inability to address the wave of citizen insecurity” gripping Peru. Public anger has swelled following a spate of killings, notably the murder of Paul Flores, the 39-year-old frontman of cumbia group Armonia 10. Flores was gunned down Sunday when attackers ambushed his band’s tour bus after a Lima concert, galvanizing outrage.

In response, President Dina Boluarte declared a state of emergency in Lima on Monday, deploying soldiers to assist police in quelling the violence—a measure echoing a similar decree from September to December 2024. That same day, opposition lawmakers moved for Santiváñez’s ouster. The surge in violence is stark: authorities recorded 2,057 killings in 2024, a sharp rise from 1,506 the previous year. As Peru grapples with this crisis, the removal of Santiváñez signals deepening frustration with the government’s security strategy.