Peru and Mexico Boost Security to Counter School Extortion and Violence

Peru’s Regional Education Directorate for Lima reported more than ten extortion cases targeting schools, noting that only 73 of the city’s 2,032 institutions have interconnected security cameras. The agency outlined a comprehensive safety plan that includes undercover patrols, police deployment, and a digital risk‑mapping system to address rising internal violence linked to drug use and gang infiltration.

In Mexico’s Chihuahua state, officials highlighted a 68% drop in intentional homicides in the Guachochi region after a year of operations by the Subcenter Centinela. The program, funded with 200 million pesos, has seized 138 firearms, 14 explosives, 660 chargers, 33 000 rounds of ammunition, and 348 kg of drugs, while also delivering uniforms, equipment and vehicles to municipal police forces.