Violence escalates in Peru during Boluarte's two years in office

by María Josefina Arce

Self-proclaimed President Dina Boluarte has completed two years at the helm of Peru, amid judicial investigations for corruption, cover-ups, and abandonment of office, and increasing questioning of her administration, especially with regard to the prevailing high level of insecurity.

Peruvians criticize the Boluarte government's lack of effective response to the rise in crime and delinquency in the Andean nation.

Crimes such as homicide, robbery, and extortion have been on the rise in Peruvian territory, where there have been recent protests by transport workers and merchants against the threat posed by criminal gangs.

The protests have been minimized by the self-proclaimed president, who has blamed them on informal groups and political interests.

But the numbers leave no doubt that crime is on the rise. Between 2022 and 2024, business robberies increased by 225%, while the number of extortion victims increased by 50%.

In fact, a survey by the polling firm Datun found that the perception of insecurity in Peru has skyrocketed, 87% of citizens do not feel safe in their cities, a figure that rises to 94% in Lima, the capital, and Callao.

So far, the government's response has been to declare a state of emergency in several municipalities. At the end of last week, this measure was declared for one district in Lima and 6 in the neighboring province of Callao.

For the past two months, the same measure has been in effect in 14 other jurisdictions in both territories, but no effective control of violence has been achieved.

Public opinion points out that these measures are not enough, as they are not accompanied by a comprehensive strategy that also addresses the structural causes of crime, such as poverty, inequality, and lack of educational and employment opportunities.

With an approval rating of just 3%, Boluarte has completed two controversial years in office, marked by corruption scandals, a million more poor Peruvians, and an escalation in violence.