In the impoverished outskirts of Lima, Peru, a stark contrast emerges between the carefree laughter of rambunctious elementary school students and the palpable stress faced by school administrators.
At a Catholic school, one administrator, fearing retaliation from local gangs, has conveyed urgent threats that demand extortion payments ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 Peruvian sols, equating to approximately $14,000 to $28,000.
“They send us messages saying they know where we live,” he states. “They send us photos of grenades and pistols.”
Such threats have been substantiated by real incidents; a recent police arrest of a 16-year-old gang member caught planting a bomb at the school’s entrance highlights the dangerous reality facing educational institutions in the area.
Critically, this alarming trend reflects a broader crime wave that has heightened in Peru, particularly in the wake of the COVID pandemic, which led to a surge in extortion cases targeting schools.
Miriam Ramírez, the president of one of Lima’s major parent-teacher associations, reports that around 1,000 schools in the capital are being extorted, with many yielding to the gangs’ demands out of fear.
To mitigate risks to students, some schools have transitioned to online classes, while others have unfortunately shut down altogether.
“If this keeps up, the country is going to end up in total ignorance,” Ramírez warns.
The root causes of this surge in crime can be attributed in part to the influx of Venezuelan migrants, including members of the Tren de Aragua criminal group, which is known for its extortion activities.
While authorities recognize the issue, definitively linking these extortion threats to Tren de Aragua remains complex.
Francisco Rivadeneyra, a former Peruvian police commander, sheds light on an additional concern: corruption within the police force.
He notes that certain officers accept bribes, tipping off gangs about upcoming police operations, making the environment increasingly perilous for schools and the communities surrounding them.
Amidst all this, political instability exacerbates the crisis, with Peru experiencing significant turmoil, including the appointment of six presidents in the past nine years.
In March, President Dina Boluarte declared a state of emergency in Lima and deployed the army to assist in combating crime, although analysts suggest that this response has not resulted in a substantial reduction in extortion attempts.
Criminals now target the most economically deprived parts of Lima, focusing on vulnerable establishments such as small groceries, street food vendors, and even soup kitchens.
Gang members often originate from the same low-income environments as their victims, complicating the struggle against this growing crime wave.
Genoveba Huatarongo, a volunteer at a soup kitchen in Villa María, emphasizes the dire conditions faced by the community, highlighting that they can barely afford basic food supplies.
Tragically, a worker at the soup kitchen was brutally attacked, followed by a demand for weekly
image source from：npr
