Fujimori Government Assigns Military to Guard Outside Peru’s Prisons

Peru’s government has placed five prisons under a 60-day state of emergency, giving the military a role alongside police in controlling the facilities’ external security.

The presidency said the measure forms part of President Keiko Fujimori’s strategy to confront criminal organizations that order kidnappings and extortion from inside prisons. “With these provisions, the government is fighting criminal organizations that direct their crimes from prisons toward the outside,” the presidency said.

The emergency order covers Challapalca and Cochamarca, in the Andean region; the men’s prison in Trujillo, on the northern coast; and Miguel Castro Castro and Ancón I, on the outskirts of Lima. The Trujillo prison is in one of Peru’s most violent cities, according to the report.

Under the emergency framework, the armed forces can enforce strict access controls and conduct intelligence work to prevent escapes. The National Penitentiary Institute will retain responsibility for prison administration and internal custody.

The measure comes as Peru faces what the report calls its worst security crisis since the end of the country’s 1980-2000 internal armed conflict. Official figures cited in the article show homicides rising from 1,000 in 2018 to 2,600 in 2025, while extortion complaints increased from 3,200 to 26,500. The five prisons house about 50% of inmates linked to highly criminal organizations. Fujimori, who has been in power for a month, submitted an urgent request to Congress on Aug. 28 for rules to help combat criminal networks.

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With these provisions, the government is fighting criminal organizations that direct their crimes from prisons toward the outside.