In brief
As gang violence surges, local businesses in Peru endure increasing extortion demands and violent retaliation, leaving communities traumatized and fearful of the future.
Jorge Tejada is a 50-year-old business owner in Lima, Peru, who recently stood amidst the charred remnants of a bus, a grim reminder of the escalating gang violence that has gripped his neighborhood. Just last night, the bus was incinerated, a signal of brutal retaliation from gangs targeting local enterprises. Tejada has become all too familiar with the harrowing reality of extortion, witnessing countless violent acts, from explosives wreaking havoc in bodegas to restaurants peppered with gunfire. His recycling yard, once a thriving business, was damaged after he refused to comply with a gang’s monthly demand of $530.“There’s a palpable sense of fear in the air,” Tejada expressed, reflecting on how the area he once called home has devolved into a landscape plagued by anxiety and danger. Formerly a peaceful district, the community has seen its serenity shattered by the advent of gang control in urban areas. This shift can be encapsulated in a grim statistic: reports of extortion in Peru have skyrocketed since 2017, rising from mere hundreds to over 2,000 monthly this year, per national police records. Moreover, the alarming rise in murders by hired assassins further highlights the perilous environment citizens now navigate. As more individuals, including pharmacists and shopkeepers, fall victim to this rising tide of violence, many find themselves seeking safety in anonymity or fleeing to evade the relentless threats. The transformation of these neighborhoods into fear-ridden zones marks a troubling new chapter for Peru, leaving its residents to grapple with the repercussions of unchecked criminal influence.
