Rising Tide of Fear: Peru's Struggle Against Gang Violence

As gang violence escalates in Peru, local businesses are increasingly targeted for extortion, leaving communities in fear and insecurity.

In the bustling streets of Lima, the entrepreneurial spirit of local businesses is being systematically dismantled by the growing influence of gangs. Jorge Tejada, who operates a recycling business, found his workplace transformed into a crime scene after gang members retaliated against his refusal to pay monthly extortion fees. Tejada said this act of violence—a bus set ablaze near his operations—marks just one in a long line of assaults that have shaken his once peaceful neighborhood.

The grim reality in Peru is that violence has surged, with perpetrators employing intimidation tactics against local commerce. Gone are the days of tranquility. Communities are witnessing an unprecedented crime wave, as extortion schemes proliferate, illustrating a deepening crisis precipitated by rampant gang violence. Citizens now routinely live in fear, echoing Tejada's lamentations about the transformation of their lives.

The national police report that extortion incidents have skyrocketed since 2017, escalating from hundreds per year to over 2,000 monthly in recent times. Concurrently, the nation grapples with a drastic increase in murders attributed to hired killers, painting a distressing picture of socio-economic conditions in urban areas across Peru.

Peru's citizens are left to navigate a treacherous landscape filled with insecurity, as the state struggles against powerful criminal organizations that now exercise unchecked control over vital economic sectors. In a climate where community initiatives once paved a path toward development and progress, the specter of violence looms ever larger, threatening the very fabric of society. The plight of everyday Peruvians hangs in the balance as they cope with the harrowing reality of life under siege.