Security & Strategic Review - February 2026

The Peruvian general elections on 12 April will take place against a backdrop of rising violence in which criminal groups are growing visibly more powerful. A tough-on-crime stance is shared by the majority of candidates across different ideologies, as proposals gain traction that were formerly seen as radical, such as restoring the death penalty and placing the military in charge of domestic security. There are also growing concerns about the threat posed by organised crime groups to candidates, two of whom were attacked in the final weeks of 2025.