Peru Sees Crime Surge Tied to Transnational Gangs Roiling Region

Interior chief says Peru crime wave unlike any ‘seen before’
President also addressed issue of crime in WEF in Davos

A policeman patrols the area following the detonation of an explosive device in front of the headquarters of the Public Prosecutor's Office in Trujillo, Peru, on Jan. 20. — A policeman patrols the area following the detonation of an explosive device in front of the headquarters of the Public Prosecutor's Office in Trujillo, Peru, on Jan. 20.
Photographer: Celso Roldan/AFP/Getty Images

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By Marcelo Rochabrun

January 23, 2025 at 4:48 PM UTC

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Peru is facing its worst public safety crisis in recent memory, with top government officials blaming transnational criminal organizations for the chaos and violence that’s also roiling neighbors Ecuador and Colombia.

“We have to recognize, as we have done, that Peru is facing a crime wave not seen before,” said Interior Minister Juan Jose Santivanez, who oversees the national police, in an interview with RPP radio. “It’s not just Peru, but the entire region because the reality is that criminality today is organized and transnational.”