In March, Peruvian authorities declared a state of emergency due to an increase in murders, violent extortion and attacks in public places. The army was called in to restore order. But Lima's bus drivers and their families say it has not worked and they feel abandoned.

Lima

Driving a bus in Lima has become increasingly perilous due to the rise in violent crime, with drivers frequently facing robbery, threats, and extortion. If extorted payments are not met, drivers risk their lives. Paul Lopez, a bus driver, became a victim of this violence. His brother expressed the dehumanizing reality, noting that people in Peru have been reduced to numbers and statistics. The murder rate in Peru has escalated alarmingly, with reports indicating a person is killed every four hours, marking the last six months as the most violent since 2017. 

Despite the state of emergency declared by Peruvian authorities, which led to the deployment of the army, bus drivers and their families report feeling unprotected and abandoned. The government initially declared an emergency to address increasing murders and extortion, but drivers had hoped for a more sustained police presence, especially in dangerous areas. The lack of visible law enforcement leaves drivers feeling vulnerable, with some lamenting that the government should take more responsibility for their safety.

The definition of organized crime in Peru was recently narrowed, which the opposition argues diminishes the effectiveness of crime-fighting efforts and grants more impunity to criminal gangs. Critics suggest that the government's mixed strategies and frequent changes in plans reflect a lack of coherent policy, leaving communities feeling neglected and demanding more effective solutions. Meanwhile, the murder toll rises, and calls for decisive government action intensify.



Lima bus drivers fear for their safety in Peru's crime spike

Driving a bus has become a dangerous job in Lima. Drivers are exposed to robbery, threats and extortion. If their employer doesn't pay up, they could be killed. One of the victims was Paul Lopez. His brother says he then got lost in the system. I went to get him at the morgue. There is a code to identify him, a code linked to his death certificate. That's what human beings have become in Peru, numbers, statistics. Homicides in Peru have hit a record high, with one person killed every four hours. The past six months have been the most violent since 2017. And that makes drivers feel unprotected. I have nothing against the company. It's just the manager providing us with vehicles and uniforms. This should be the government's responsibility. And we are in a state of emergency. There are no police in this area. I drive here every day and the police are never around. Authorities declared a state of emergency in March, sending in the army to restore order. But the government also narrowed the definition of organized crime. The opposition says this gives the gangs greater impunity and hinders the fight against crime. We are witnessing how the government, on the one hand, is facilitating all of this. And on the other, it doesn't have any real plan or strategy to tackle the problem. Drivers and victims' families say they feel abandoned. One week the government declares a state of emergency. The next week it implements a new plan. And then, oops, a man is killed. That means the plan doesn't work. Then they try something else. They deploy the army. They change ministers. In other words, we feel there's a political vacuum. Something is just wrong. In the meantime, people are still being killed. And demands for more effective action are growing.

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