Peru’s Schools Under Siege: Extortion Rises, Forcing Closures and Online Learning
Peru’s Schools Under Siege: Extortion Rises, Forcing Closures and Online Learning
In a escalating crisis, criminal gangs in Peru are intensely targeting schools, particularly those in impoverished neighborhoods, demanding exorbitant sums for ‘protection’. School administrators, fearing violent retaliation, report receiving threats, including photos of grenades and pistols, with some facing demands ranging from $14,000 to $28,000.
The threats are not idle. Incidents include a 16-year-old arrested while attempting to plant a bomb at a school entrance. Miriam Ramírez, president of a major parent-teacher association in Lima, estimates that at least 1,000 schools in the capital are currently being extorted, leading many to switch to online classes or, in at least five cases, to close down entirely.
This surge in extortion is part of a broader crime wave that intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated by an influx of Venezuelan migrants, including members of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang. Compounding the problem, former police commander Francisco Rivadeneyra suggests corrupt officers are tipping off gangs about impending raids.
Despite a state of emergency declared in March by President Dina Boluarte, and military deployment in Lima, analysts say the measures have had little impact. Extortionists now operate freely in under-policed areas, preying on small businesses, food stalls, and even soup kitchens. Some victims, like grocery owner Carla Pacheco, are bravely resisting, despite facing horrific retaliation such as the decapitation of her pets. However, many schools, including one Catholic elementary school, have resorted to factoring extortion payments into their annual budgets to avoid closure, often on the advice of police.
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