Regional governor candidate Susy Aponte shot dead in Caraz; Áncash calls for state of emergency
Susy Aponte Polo, a candidate for regional governor, was shot in the back at a market in Caraz. Governor Koki Noriega is demanding that Keiko Fujimori declare a state of emergency in Áncash.
Áncash governor pressures Fujimori following the assassination of candidate at Caraz market
The regional governor of Áncash, Koki Noriega, demanded on Sunday that the Keiko Fujimori Government adopt concrete measures against citizen insecurity, according to reports from rpp.pe. The demand follows the assassination of Susy Aponte Polo de Tello, known as 'la China Polo', a candidate for regional governor representing the Socios por Áncash movement.
In statements to RPP's Ampliación de Noticias programme, Noriega said he was dismayed by the crime and noted that his attempts to meet with cabinet ministers have gone unanswered. Because of this, he appealed directly to the president to declare the region in a state of emergency.
"Many ministers have not received us so far; we have been requesting for days that they declare a state of emergency in Áncash, because it lies between two departments with the highest incidence, such as La Libertad. When anything happens, since we are on the border, crime migrates to Chimbote and we are with the border in Lima; when they declare that in a state of emergency, it migrates to Huarmey, Casma," the governor stated.
Noriega maintained that he perceives no coordination whatsoever with the central government to confront the wave of criminality. He noted that the region has already acquired 100 patrol vehicles and submitted documentation requesting the convening of a regional security state council, without receiving a response.
"I am asking the president to convene all of us governors and to tell us what her working policy will be against citizen insecurity, because we cannot continue like this," he affirmed.
Regarding the investigation, Noriega specified that a suspect was detained by a group of citizens and that he spoke with the general of the Áncash Police, Edwin Díaz, awaiting developments during the course of the day.
The crime occurred during campaigning activity on Saturday
The assassination of Aponte Polo took place last Saturday while the candidate was conducting a campaign activity at a market in Caraz, in the province of Huaylas. A man attacked her with gunfire to her back and fled the scene. Minutes later, district municipal officers intervened with a Venezuelan national presumably involved in the incident.
In addition to her political career, Aponte Polo worked as a journalist through her Facebook platform 'China Polo Dominical', from where she broadcast investigative reports and reported on alleged acts of corruption in municipalities, the Public Ministry, and the National Police.
Hours before her death, the journalist had announced the broadcasting of revelations about candidates from the Alliance for Progress (APP) in Áncash and about alleged police irregularities linked to works in Chiclayo.
Source: Google News PE — Crime