Peruvian leader Keiko Fujimori arrived in Arequipa on Friday morning to declare a state of emergency over severe liquefied petroleum gas shortages caused by mudslides.
The emergency measure follows six days of continuous road blockades along the Panamericana Sur highway. Landslides triggered by heavy regional rainfall prevented fuel tanker trucks from reaching the southern territory, leaving local communities facing critical energy shortages.
Fujimori arrived in the region on August 21 to inspect emergency monitoring and highway clearance operations. Relief tasks are being led by heavy machinery crews and emergency response personnel from the National Institute of Civil Defense, known as Indeci.
Ministerial decree and fuel distribution
The government formalised the emergency response through Ministerial Resolution 360-2026-MINEM/DM. The decree was signed by Minister of Energy and Mines Guillermo Shinno and slated for immediate publication in an extraordinary edition of the official state newspaper El Peruano.
Fujimori stated that the ministerial resolution officially declares an emergency regarding the supply shortage. She explained that the regulation authorises the Supervisory Agency for Investment in Energy and Mining, known as Osinergmin, to enact urgent administrative rules to speed up fuel delivery.
Fujimori added that Osinergmin will dictate special measures to facilitate the distribution and commercialisation of fuel. These regulatory adjustments aim to provide liquefied petroleum gas suppliers with greater flexibility to transport products directly to end consumers.
Liquefied petroleum gas, commonly known as LPG or GLP in Spanish, serves as the primary energy source for domestic cooking and commercial transport throughout Peru. Arequipa, located in the country's southern highlands, depends heavily on coastal highway routes for its daily fuel supplies.
Air bridge and military emergency operations
The road blockage is concentrated along the Atico-Ocoña stretch of the Panamericana Sur highway, where mudflows washed over the asphalt. Fujimori toured the damaged Atico and Ocoña sectors alongside Defense Minister Rafael Belaunde to evaluate local damage.
In response to the travel cutoff, the Peruvian government activated an air bridge using three military helicopters. The aircraft are providing emergency transport for stranded travellers and bringing essential aid to isolated towns.
Defense Minister Rafael Belaunde confirmed the deployment of the air bridge during an interview with Peruvian news station Radio Programas del Peru. Belaunde reported that official censuses have registered 350 affected residents, with helicopters evacuating an average of 40 people per round trip.
On the ground, more than 200 Peruvian Army soldiers have been deployed to clear mud and rocks blocking the highway between kilometers 731 and 733 of the Panamericana Sur. Ground crews are working to restore vehicle access along the vital transportation corridor.
The Defense Ministry has also deployed two Navy patrol boats to run a maritime bridge between La Planchada and Atico. The coastal sea route offers an alternative transport channel for citizens trapped by the mudslides, locally referred to as huaicos, which frequently strike Peru's coastal river valleys during seasonal rainstorms.
