Peru

Country Overview & Political Climate

Peru is a constitutional republic with a presidential system of government. The country has experienced significant political instability in recent years, cycling through multiple presidents amid congressional conflicts, impeachment proceedings, and institutional dysfunction. President Dina Boluarte has been in office since December 2022, following the impeachment and arrest of her predecessor Pedro Castillo after his attempted dissolution of Congress. Boluarte’s administration has made little or no effort to stop congressional attacks against democracy and the rule of law, and has itself pursued policies contributing to the erosion of democratic norms — including efforts to suppress protests and a growing disregard for judicial independence.

In 2024, the Peruvian Congress passed laws and adopted decisions that undermined judicial independence, weakened democratic institutions, and hindered investigations into organized crime, corruption, and human rights violations. These actions included measures that reduced congressional oversight, weakened the independence of the judiciary, and restricted the ability of prosecutors to pursue high-profile corruption cases. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and other regional bodies have expressed concern about Peru’s democratic trajectory.

Corruption is a defining feature of Peruvian political life. Five former presidents have been charged with corruption. As of May 2024, 67 of the 130 members of Congress were under criminal investigation for various offenses. President Boluarte herself remained under investigation for allegedly receiving illicit contributions to her political campaign and expensive gifts from a provincial governor. Citizens continue to view corruption as a pervasive problem across all branches of national, regional, and local government. The government does not effectively implement anti-corruption laws, and there are numerous reports of corruption at the highest levels of government.

The political situation remains volatile. Peru has faced recurring waves of civil unrest, including mass protests in 2022 and 2023 following Castillo’s removal that resulted in security force killings of demonstrators. Protests in subsequent years have continued over issues including economic conditions, crime, and government accountability.

Human Rights Conditions

Judicial Independence and Rule of Law

Peru’s judiciary faces serious threats to its independence. Congressional legislation passed in 2024 undermined the structural independence of courts and weakened prosecutorial authority to investigate organized crime and corruption. The National Board of Justice — responsible for appointing and disciplining judges and prosecutors — was targeted by congressional measures designed to limit its authority. In June 2024, Congress amended the constitution to restrict the National Board of Justice’s oversight powers, and in October 2024, Congress dismissed all seven of its members on disputed legal grounds. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued precautionary measures in response.

Impunity for serious crimes, including those committed by state actors, remains widespread. Prosecutorial resources are inadequate, judicial proceedings are subject to delay, and corruption within the justice system itself undermines accountability.

Excessive Use of Force and Protest-Related Killings

The 2022–2023 protest cycle following President Castillo’s removal resulted in the deaths of at least 49 protesters, most killed by security forces. As of 2024, accountability for these killings remained elusive. In July 2024, the Public Prosecutor’s Office charged Boluarte and former prime ministers with genocide, homicide, and serious bodily harm in connection with the protest deaths. In October 2024, Congress passed a law granting amnesty to security force members involved in protest-related killings — a measure that human rights organizations characterized as designed to shield perpetrators from accountability. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued additional precautionary measures ordering Peru to suspend enforcement of the amnesty law pending review.

The Peruvian National Police (PNP) is the primary domestic law enforcement body, but it operates with limited resources and significant structural vulnerabilities, including documented involvement in criminal activity. Corruption within the PNP is a recognized and ongoing concern.

Enforced Disappearances and Past Abuses

Peru has an unresolved legacy of enforced disappearances and killings from the internal armed conflict of the 1980s and 1990s, in which an estimated 69,000 people were killed or disappeared. Thousands of cases involving the Shining Path and state security forces remain in the legal system. Congress has taken steps in recent years that human rights observers say are designed to obstruct rather than advance accountability for these historical crimes.

Violence Against Women and Femicide

Violence against women and femicide are serious and persistent problems in Peru. The country records high rates of gender-based violence, with women in rural and indigenous communities facing heightened vulnerability. Legal and institutional responses to domestic violence and femicide have been widely criticized as inadequate, with low rates of investigation, prosecution, and conviction.

LGBTQ+ Rights

LGBTQ+ individuals in Peru face discrimination, violence, and inadequate legal protection. Peru does not legally recognize same-sex unions, and there is no comprehensive anti-discrimination framework protecting LGBTQ+ persons. Social stigma and targeted violence against LGBTQ+ individuals — particularly transgender people — are documented, with inadequate state response.

Indigenous Communities and Environmental Defenders

Indigenous communities in Peru face threats related to land rights, extractive industry activity, and environmental degradation. Indigenous and environmental defenders have been subjected to threats, harassment, and violence. Uncontacted and recently contacted indigenous communities face particular vulnerability, with legal protections that exist on paper but are inconsistently enforced. Illegal mining and logging operations operating in indigenous territories have contributed to displacement and violence.

Terrorism and the VRAEM Region

The Valley of the Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro Rivers (VRAEM), encompassing areas within the departments of Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica, and Junín, remains an active zone of terrorism and drug trafficking. Remnants of the Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) continue to operate in this region. The Peruvian government has conducted military and police operations in the VRAEM, but the area remains effectively off-limits for travel due to crime and terrorism.

Security & Crime

Peru presents serious security concerns. The U.S. Department of State advises travelers to exercise increased caution due to crime, civil unrest, and the possibility of kidnapping. Lima is assessed as a Critical-threat location for crime directed at or affecting U.S. government interests. The Travel Advisory designates the Colombian-Peruvian border area in the Loreto Region as Do Not Travel due to crime, and the VRAEM as Do Not Travel due to crime and terrorism.

Crime in Peru has increased each year since 2020, rising 12% in 2023. Criminal activity generally peaks between October and December. Property crimes constitute 68% of reported incidents, while violent crimes accounted for 9% of criminal activity in 2023. Crimes frequently escalate when victims attempt to resist.

Robbery and theft are the most common crimes affecting residents and visitors in Lima. Armed assailants on motorcycles target individuals displaying valuables, snatching items through open car windows or smashing windows at stops. A separate pattern involves robbers following individuals from the airport to their hotels, striking late at night or on arrival. Cell phone theft is pervasive — the PNP reports approximately 4,000 cell phones stolen daily throughout Peru.

Kidnapping is a concern, particularly in the Colombian-Peruvian border area and the VRAEM. Express kidnappings, in which victims are held briefly while their bank accounts are emptied, also occur. The PNP has a specialized unit for kidnapping and extortion response.

Extortion targeting businesses is a growing problem nationwide and was a prominent public concern in 2024, with transport unions staging protests in Lima in October demanding greater government protection from extortion. Organized criminal groups, including those with connections to transnational narcotics trafficking organizations, are involved in extortion networks.

The VRAEM remains a significant zone of instability. Terrorism by Shining Path remnants and narcotics trafficking by organizations operating in the region make this area dangerous for civilian movement.

Civil unrest remains a persistent feature of the Peruvian security environment. Protests can develop quickly and result in road blockades, disruption to transportation infrastructure, and confrontations between demonstrators and security forces. Key transportation routes, including roads to international airports, have been blocked during prior protest periods.

Police capacity is limited. The PNP is underfunded, faces documented corruption, and has limited ability to respond effectively to serious crimes. The National Inter-agency Security Task Force (SINC) and specialized anti-extortion forces have been stood up, but resource constraints limit their reach.

Asylum Eligibility Grounds

Persecution by Criminal or Terrorist Organizations — Individuals who have been targeted by organized criminal groups operating extortion networks, by narcotics trafficking organizations, or by Shining Path remnants in the VRAEM may have viable asylum claims if the harm is connected to a protected ground and the government is unable or unwilling to provide protection. The Peruvian government’s documented resource constraints and corruption within the security forces support claims of government inability to protect.

Political Opinion — Peruvians targeted for their actual or imputed political opinions — including journalists, anti-corruption prosecutors, opposition politicians, protest organizers, and civil society actors who have challenged entrenched interests — may qualify for asylum based on political opinion. The congressional and executive actions taken in 2024 to obstruct accountability and suppress dissent demonstrate a pattern of retaliation against those perceived as threatening to powerful political actors.

Particular Social Group — Potentially cognizable PSGs for Peruvian asylum applicants include: family members of individuals targeted by criminal organizations; witnesses to serious crimes; individuals who have cooperated with law enforcement against organized crime; and LGBTQ+ individuals facing persecution on account of their identity. Careful framing is required to satisfy immutability, particularity, and social distinction under U.S. immigration law.

Gender-Based Persecution — Peruvian women who have suffered domestic violence, sexual assault, or femicide threats — and who can demonstrate the government’s inability or unwillingness to protect them — may have viable asylum claims based on membership in a particular social group. Peru’s documented failure to investigate and prosecute gender-based violence supports the nexus to government failure to protect.

LGBTQ+ Identity — LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly transgender people, who face targeted persecution on account of their sexual orientation or gender identity have potential grounds for asylum based on membership in a particular social group. Peru’s lack of legal recognition for same-sex unions and absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination protections support claims of both direct persecution and state failure to protect.

Race/Ethnicity and Indigenous Identity — Members of indigenous communities who face targeted persecution — including land rights defenders, community leaders opposing extractive projects, and individuals subjected to threats or violence tied to illegal mining or logging operations in their territories — may have claims based on race, ethnicity, or membership in a particular social group defined by indigenous identity and advocacy.

Protest-Related Persecution and State Violence — Individuals who participated in the 2022–2023 protests or subsequent demonstrations and who face prosecution, harassment, or threats as a result of their participation — particularly in light of the congressional amnesty law designed to shield security forces while leaving protesters exposed — may have claims based on political opinion or membership in a particular social group.

Human Rights Defenders and Journalists — Journalists, NGO workers, and anti-corruption advocates who have been targeted for their work exposing corruption or human rights violations may have viable claims based on political opinion or imputed political opinion, particularly given the documented pattern of government and congressional retaliation against critical voices.

Sources: OSAC Peru Country Security Report (August 2024); Human Rights Watch World Report 2025 – Peru.