Peru's Ministry of Energy and Mines has declared a state of emergency for fuel supply activities in the eastern Amazonian region of Ucayali.
The measure was established through Ministerial Resolution N.° 352-2026-MINEM/DM and will remain in effect for up to one year, starting the day after its official publication. Government officials stated that the decision allows for short-term actions to enhance supply security and ensure essential economic and basic services continue throughout the region.
According to a report by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, Ucayali suffers from a structural vulnerability in its liquid fuel supply chain. Existing infrastructure for Diesel B5 and Regular Gasoline is insufficient to maintain inventories that can withstand disruptions in logistics.
Storage capacity and supply chain risks
During a joint executive statement, Energy and Mines Minister Guillermo Shinno reported that Ucayali currently holds fuel inventories equal to between 1.5 and 3 days of consumption.
The government aims to expand storage availability to at least seven days of consumption. Shinno said this buffer would provide a stronger response capability during logistics failures and curb conditions that encourage price speculation.
Ucayali relies on fuel shipments arriving from Peru's Pacific coast. Transport routes through the Andes and Amazon region are frequently threatened by social unrest, traffic accidents, and natural hazards such as landslides and mudslides, locally known as huaicos.
The ministry warned that these transport bottlenecks affect fuel distribution and push up consumer prices, as final retail prices incorporate high transportation and distribution expenses across long distances.
Based on these findings, the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons concluded there is a high risk of severe supply disruption and recommended the formal emergency declaration.
Emergency regulatory powers for Osinergmin
The ministerial resolution authorizes the Supervisory Agency for Investment in Energy and Mining, known as Osinergmin, to implement temporary emergency measures following technical evaluation.
Osinergmin serves as Peru's autonomous state regulator responsible for overseeing energy and mining infrastructure. Under the emergency declaration, the agency can grant temporary exemptions from specific sections of national hydrocarbon safety and commercialization regulations.
The regulator may also approve alternative measures to enable the temporary use and setup of additional storage and sales infrastructure. These options include evaluating extra storage tanks to increase fuel availability, particularly for diesel.
Ministry officials emphasized that the resolution does not automatically activate additional storage tanks. Any operational deployment will depend on formal evaluation and approval by Osinergmin.
The legal framework for the emergency declaration stems from Supreme Decree N.° 063-2010-EM, which was modified earlier this year by Supreme Decree N.° 002-2026-EM to grant Osinergmin special powers during hydrocarbon emergencies.
Nationwide fuel subsidies and government response
Shinno highlighted that the emergency status in Ucayali is part of a broader package of executive actions to resolve fuel distribution shortages and rising prices across Peru.
The measures align with policies announced by President of the Republic Keiko Fujimori to stabilize fuel markets and protect local economic activity. Among these initiatives is a targeted national diesel subsidy covering between 15% and 20% of fuel costs for cargo freight and passenger transport services.
Ucayali is a heavily forested region in eastern Peru bordering Brazil, where inland transport routes remain vital for urban centers like Pucallpa and surrounding river communities.
