Gang Violence Terrorizes Peru: A Nation Under Siege

Peru is experiencing a drastic increase in gang violence, particularly through extortion practices that have left communities traumatized. With reports of extortion climbing from a few hundred to over 2,000 per month, local business owners are facing immense pressure and violence, resulting in fear permeating through neighborhoods as the nation grapples with this crime wave.

Jorge Tejada stood beside the remains of a bus reduced to ashes in his Lima recycling yard, its destruction attributed to a gang retaliating against local bus companies refusing their extortion demands. Over the past year, Mr. Tejada has been a witness to a rapidly escalating campaign of violence in his neighborhood, marked by bombed shops and gunfire that has led to many local business owners, including pharmacists, being driven into hiding.

"This community was once peaceful, built through years of determination and activism," Mr. Tejada lamented, reflecting on the transformation of his community into a site of terror. "Now, fear is our constant companion."

The surge of gang activity is not an isolated incident; it reflects a broader national crisis that sees Peru entangled in an alarming increase in crime rates attributed to rampant extortion. Police reports indicate a stark rise in extortion cases, soaring from several hundred annually in 2017 to over 2,000 monthly in 2025. Additionally, incidents of hired assassins taking lives have dramatically escalated, further underscoring the perilous situation.

Peru finds itself caught in a vicious cycle of violence where individuals and local businesses are frequently threatened, deepening the national malaise and leaving many citizens unsure of their safety in their own communities. As businesses struggle to survive and fear grips ordinary life, the need for urgent solutions to restore order and safety in urban centers has never been more critical.