Peru's Congress Undermines Fight Against Organized Crime and Environmental Degradation

Strategic Insights -

Peru's Congress has enacted laws that undermine the independence and capacity of judges and prosecutors to combat organized crime, allowing homicides, extortion, and illegal mining to surge in recent years. Human Rights Watch released a report detailing how Congress' actions have eroded the autonomy of key public institutions and rolled back environmental protections. The organization interviewed 125 officials and reviewed 34 laws and 54 presidential decrees.

Key Takeaways:

  • Between 2018 and 2024, the annual number of homicides in Peru rose by almost 137 percent, with preliminary figures for 2025 suggesting another record year.
  • Over half of the 2024 homicides were committed by contract killers, according to the police.
  • Extortion complaints peaked in 2023, remained high in 2024, and may hit a new record in 2025.
  • Congress has sharply limited prosecutors' ability to obtain evidence and investigative leads from defendants willing to cooperate.
  • Lawmakers have modified the definition of "organized crime" in the criminal code to exclude many corruption offenses.
  • Nearly half of all attacks on environmental defenders and Indigenous leaders from 2020 to 2023 were linked to illegal mining.
  • President Boluarte's administration has relied heavily on declaring "states of emergency" as its primary crime-fighting tool, suspending constitutional rights in affected areas.
  • Recent legislative actions have threatened to severely restrict the work of independent journalists and civil society organizations in Peru.
  • Peru is currently seeking membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and is under review by more than a dozen OECD committees.

Statistics:

  • 137% increase in homicides between 2018 and 2024 (police data)
  • Over 50% of 2024 homicides committed by contract killers (police data)
  • Peak extortion complaints in 2023, with a high of 2024 (not specified)
  • Nearly 50% of attacks on environmental defenders and Indigenous leaders from 2020 to 2023 linked to illegal mining (Ombudsperson's Office)
  • More than 12,000 hectares affected by illegal mining in 2023, up from 8,000 in 2020 (not specified)

Sources:

  • Human Rights Watch, "Congress in Cahoots: How Peru's Legislature is Allowing Organized Crime to Thrive" (43-page report)
  • Human Rights Watch, interviews with 125 prosecutors, judges, police officers, environmental defenders, Indigenous leaders, journalists, and government officials (between September 2023 and December 2024)
  • Police data on homicides
  • Government data on illegal mining
  • Ombudsperson's Office report on attacks on environmental defenders and Indigenous leaders
  • OECD committees reviewing Peru's compliance with standards on public governance, environmental policy, and the rule of law