August 4, 2026
Keiko Fujimori
Peru is experiencing its worst security crisis since the internal armed conflict that took place between 1980 and 2000, with figures reflecting an alarming deterioration: homicides rose from 1,000 in 2018 to 2,600 in 2025, while reports of extortion—one of the crimes that most affects the population—skyrocketed from 3,200 to 26,500 during the same period.
Faced with this situation, the new president, Keiko Fujimori, who took office on Tuesday with a promise to take a hard line against crime, has expressed her intention to bring the country into the Shield of the Americas, the regional alliance promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Foreign Minister Carlos Espá, speaking at a ceremony at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Lima, confirmed that “we will build on the progress made through our participation in the Shield of the Americas,” and emphasized that one of his priorities will be “the head-on fight against public insecurity and corruption.”
Espá, who previously served as an official at the U.S. Embassy in Lima, added that the government will deepen “the excellent relations with the United States, a strategic partner, ally, and friend,” and that it will strengthen cooperation with neighboring countries and other partners to combat crime.
Peru, with a population of 34 million, is one of the world’s leading producers of cocaine and a territory where international drug trafficking gangs operate. Under the Shield of the Americas framework, member countries coordinate information sharing and judicial and law enforcement cooperation to combat cross-border organized crime.
The U.S. ambassador in Lima, Bernie Navarro, endorsed the initiative:
“The president has been clear. She wants to be a member of the Shield of the Americas, and through that we will tackle crime, transnational groups, and the cartels plaguing the country.”
In addition, Foreign Minister Espá recalled the signing, last May in Santiago, Chile, of a regional agreement with Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, and Ecuador to combat cross-border crime, in a context where all these countries are facing the advance of international gangs such as the Tren de Aragua.
Fujimori, for her part, is preparing “a series of measures to strengthen public safety,” according to a statement from the president’s office, and announced in her inaugural address that the military will lead the fight against crime to restore internal control in areas affected by extortion, drug trafficking, and illegal mining.
Source: Cuba en Resumen