As Peru prepares for the presidential transition on July 28, the public has its own agenda, with the first task being the repeal of the “Pro-Crime” Laws that continue to plunge hundreds of households nationwide into mourning. The Lima Bar Association (CAL), the Citizens’ Coalition for Life (CCV), and the Historic Citizens’ Agreement (AHC)—which together bring together various civil society organizations—have been advancing this initiative on several fronts. In the exercise of good governance, the role of citizens is vital and fully active, as Grimaldo Ríos (CCV) affirms in the following interview:
Pressenza: Last January, Pressenza interviewed you about the initiative to repeal the “Pro-Crime” Laws, but this issue had not yet taken shape, so to speak. After the first round of voting, it was already taken up as a priority by nearly all political, human rights, and youth organizations, among others. What is your assessment?
Grimaldo Ríos: Well, it has been a process of gradual progress, of raising public and political awareness. We launched this as the Citizens’ Coalition for Life in July 2025. Later, we reached out to the Lima Bar Association (CAL), which, under its dean, Dr. Raúl Canelo, presented a legislative initiative that later becameBill 12158, introduced last August. But it continued to lie dormant in Congress; it had been shelved. So what we did was organize citizen forums to present the Six Democratic Conditions for Participatory Good Governance. One of the first conditions was the repeal of the pro-crime laws.
Six candidates pledged that, should they come to power, they would repeal the pro-crime laws. Of those who signed, only Ahora Nación was elected as a congressional caucus. But some candidates—now senators—also signed, such as Patricia Iturregui, a Senate candidate for the Good Government Party, and Senate candidate Dr. Matute Charum. So, let’s say there was a broad spectrum of democratic sectors joining this effort.
Later, in the runoff election, the CAL summoned the presidential candidates—both Mr. Roberto Sánchez and Ms. Keiko Fujimori. Only candidate Roberto Sánchez attended; he pledged to endorse the bill and another bill proposing the repeal. And he did so. In the week leading up to the elections, he introduced a motion for the Board of Spokespersons—and subsequently the full Chamber—to rule on these bills so that the full Chamber could debate them. However, the president of Congress, Rospigliosi, simply refused and adjourned the session.
Earlier, even the Good Government Party, along with its own presidential candidate, Jorge Nieto, announced before the first round of voting that the first action its caucus would take upon entering Parliament would be to repeal the pro-crime laws.
Pressenza: Regarding Nieto, have you been in contact with him recently? Will his caucus support this?
G.R.: We are currently reaching out to the various parliamentary caucuses. We have already spoken with the parliamentary coordinator, the advisor to the secretary-general of Juntos por el Perú, Mr. Ernesto Zunini; we are going to arrange a meeting with him, as well as with Ahora Nación, the Partido Cívico Obras, and also the Partido del Buen Gobierno.
Pressenza: Does the alliance formed between Juntos por el Perú, Ahora Nación, and Obras help?
G.R.: Of course. That, let’s say, demonstrates a collective will. They have signed a document in which they clearly state this as one of the primary conditions for the dialogue with the government that begins on July 28. There will be no dialogue unless these three conditions are met: One, the repeal of the anti-crime laws. Two, justice and reparations for the victims of repression and contract killings. And three—well, from their perspective, they’re calling for the release of former President Castillo.
As parliamentary blocs, if those four blocs were to join forces to form a majority, they could easily pass the anti-crime laws. Combined, the four blocs have 78 deputies and 30 senators. This would give them, at least in the Chamber of Deputies, a clear majority. And in the Senate, if Mr. López Aliaga does not take office as a senator, the Fujimori bloc would be left with 29 and the other bloc would have 30, which would also constitute a majority. Let’s say we have to fight for that. That is why we have resumed the signature campaign.
Pressenza: And how are you organizing this?
G.R.: We have begun the first outreach meetings to reactivate the various citizen groups interested in promoting this effort. And we’re doing this because citizens cannot expect politicians to do what we say, unless we, as citizens, take on a leading role and demand action. And so, there’s no guarantee that the laws will actually be repealed if we, as citizens, don’t take the initiative—if the public isn’t mobilized.
That’s why this signature-gathering campaign is so important. We have the ONPE form, which was issued last year. So far, we’ve collected around 18,500 signatures. That’s 81,000 valid signatures.
Pressenza: Nationwide?
G.R.: Yes, nationwide. Well, this effort has achieved a significant milestone in bringing together diverse sectors, and there is a national consensus regarding the repeal of the “pro-crime” law. It has also had its ups and downs because the campaign began right before the election campaign. I think the playing field is clearer now, because the election campaign is about to begin—in any case, the regional and municipal elections are in November, but they don’t have the same political overtones as the general elections.
Pressenza: And is there also greater public awareness?
G.R.: There is greater awareness, and what we need to do is activate the working groups in each of the regions where they’ve already been established. In the previous round, we had groups in Ayacucho, Junín, and Ancash; in recent weeks, colleagues from Lambayeque, Cusco, and Arequipa have joined us, so we’ll continue to expand gradually. Our goal is to collect around 150,000 signatures within three months. That means the citizens’ legislative initiative would be submitted by the end of October, but at the same time, we have to engage in political advocacy with the parties and congressional caucuses.
An opposition parliamentary bloc has already been formed, which makes things easier; we must hold the Good Government Party to its word, as it committed during the first round of voting to repeal the pro-crime laws.
It may be the case that Fujimorism is now trying to take this discussion to committees, where it will likely be shelved indefinitely. Then, suddenly, a committee report comes out claiming that no such pro-crime laws exist.
Pressenza: The Historic Citizens’ Agreement (AHC) itself has set forth six conditions for good governance. But, let’s say, of the six conditions, I think the one that’s most ready to be implemented is this one—the repeal.
G.R.: That’s right. I think we have to focus on that in the coming months, and we need to muster our strength and bring more and more people on board to make this repeal possible.
Okay, thank you very much.
If you’d like to help support the campaign, click the link and download the form. Once you’ve collected 10 signatures in blue ink with fingerprints, please call 968355638.
The link for you and/or your groups to participate is: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L-PBAwLryRevxV9HirJhttPhZxIywXYi/view
