The leader of Peru’s PPC party, Lourdes Flores, said she will declare a war on crime in Lima if she is elected the mayor of the Peruvian capital, state news agency Andina reported.
Flores said she would install 3,000 cameras on Lima’s streets and 10,000 more police officers to improve security.
“I declare a war on crime and we are going to win,” Flores said during a debate.
The former congresswoman and two-time presidential candidate said she would also focus on improving transportation and reducing traffic congestion by continuing with infrastructure works.
Crime and transportation are routinely cited surveys as the top concern among residents in Lima.
According to an August opinion poll by IMA Marketing Studio, 36.4 percent of respondents said they would vote for Flores. The next closest candidate, Alex Kouri, had 19 percent support in the poll.
During the debate, Kouri also focused on improving security and transportation in Lima. He suggested that the responsibility of transit and tourism police, among others, be transferred to the municipal government in order to allow the National Police to focus on confronting organized crime and drug trafficking.
In addition, he also suggested following an example set in the port city of Callao, where he was mayor, to increase spending on education and health. Callao invested approximately 65 percent of its budget on education and health and had “astonishing results,” Kouri said.
Municipal elections in Lima are planned for October 3. Other candidates include Susana Villaran, Humberto Lay, Fernando Andrade and Luis Iberico.
