Peru proposes moving low-risk inmates to military hangars

The Peruvian government has proposed a plan to transfer low-risk inmates to temporary facilities located in decommissioned military hangars to alleviate prison overcrowding. This measure is part of a legislative package aimed at reforming the penitentiary system and strengthening public security.

The proposal targets individuals processed or sentenced for non-violent offenses, specifically including those incarcerated for failure to provide family assistance. According to data from the Penitentiary Statistical Information System (SIEP), as of May 2026, 2,672 people were held for such offenses.

Prime Minister Luis Galarreta stated that the Ministry of Defense is coordinating the adaptation of these military hangars. By moving low-risk inmates, the National Penitentiary Institute (INPE) can focus its limited personnel—currently just over 7,000 agents—on managing high-risk prisoners.

Additionally, the reform package seeks to restrict sentence reduction benefits for crimes such as extortion, murder for hire, and kidnapping. It also proposes the exceptional and temporary involvement of the Armed Forces in the external security of prisons to assist the INPE.