Journalist Kenny Yucra receives death threats in Peru

Kenny Yucra, director of the digital media outlet La Lupa, received death threats via WhatsApp in the Ica region of Peru on September 17, 2026. The messages included videos of a firearm being used to simulate a shooting and contained personal details, including Yucra’s home address and the name of his young son.

Yucra reported that the threats follow investigative coverage by La Lupa regarding regional election candidates. Specifically, the outlet reported on Juan Mendoza, a candidate for the Ica Regional Government for the Somos Perú party, who faces allegations of sexual abuse against a minor and suspected links to organized crime.

In response to the reporting, Mendoza has filed a lawsuit against Yucra, seeking three years of imprisonment and 100,000 soles in civil reparations. The Institute for Press and Society (IPYS) has condemned both the death threats and the judicial harassment, calling for urgent government action to protect the journalist's safety in a region with a history of violence against the press.