Peru: Safety and Security Specifics
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Police: 105
Fire: 116
Ambulance: 117
International SOS: +1 215 942 8226
Police: 105
Fire: 116
Ambulance: 117
International SOS: +1 215 942 8226
Crime
Petty and opportunistic street crime poses the principal risk to travelers particularly in or near hotels, airports, tourist sites and public transport hubs. Foreign travelers may be targeted because of their perceived wealth. Theft of passports has also been reported on intercity buses. Visitors have also reported attacks when leaving bars and clubs late at night.
RISK MITIGATION: Maintain a low profile and avoid ostentatious displays of wealth. Adopt sensible security precautions to mitigate this risk, such as not travelling alone after dark and watching your drink in bars and nightclubs to avoid being drugged. Use only registered taxis or transport to avert the risk of robbery involving unregistered drivers. Travelers have been robbed by drivers of unauthorized taxis at Lima's Jorge Chávez International Airport. Arrange transportation in advance through local contacts, or contact the information desk at the airport to book authorized taxis. Furthermore, thieves posing as tour operators are known to approach passengers at the Lima airport. When traveling to Machu Picchu, travel in a group while visiting the Sacsayhuaman ruins outside Cusco. Armed men have targeted tourists hiking near the ruins of Choquequirao. Travelers should avoid such areas after dark or at dawn. When withdrawing money from ATMs, use those branches that have visible security nearby, such as patrols and CCTV cameras.
RISK MITIGATION: Maintain a low profile and avoid ostentatious displays of wealth. Adopt sensible security precautions to mitigate this risk, such as not travelling alone after dark and watching your drink in bars and nightclubs to avoid being drugged. Use only registered taxis or transport to avert the risk of robbery involving unregistered drivers. Travelers have been robbed by drivers of unauthorized taxis at Lima's Jorge Chávez International Airport. Arrange transportation in advance through local contacts, or contact the information desk at the airport to book authorized taxis. Furthermore, thieves posing as tour operators are known to approach passengers at the Lima airport. When traveling to Machu Picchu, travel in a group while visiting the Sacsayhuaman ruins outside Cusco. Armed men have targeted tourists hiking near the ruins of Choquequirao. Travelers should avoid such areas after dark or at dawn. When withdrawing money from ATMs, use those branches that have visible security nearby, such as patrols and CCTV cameras.
Demonstrations and Protests/Civil Unrest
Demonstrations are common in Peru. Protests are often motivated by the government's economic policies, labor demands and environmental issues; it is not uncommon for such demonstrations to descend into violence. The departments of Cajamarca, Cusco, La Libertad, Piura, Moquegua, Arequipa and Puno have been particularly affected. Bouts of unrest over various concerns are likely to continue to sporadically occur.
Most demonstrations in Lima take place in/around the historic downtown area near the Presidential Palace and the Congress, although some do occur in other areas of the city. Marching groups of demonstrators often force the temporary closure of streets until they pass. Political demonstrations take place in cities, sometimes paralyzing road traffic for a few days. Demonstrators often block areas of the Pan American Highway, the main north-south thoroughfare located along the western coastal area of the country.
Disruptive protests have been held over issues related specifically to mining in the country. President Ollanta Humala declared a sixty-day state of emergency in Islay province (Arequipa department) on 23 May 2015 after several months of often violent protests over a local copper mine; at least four people were killed and hundreds injured through the course of the unrest. Such activities typically involve work stoppages and the blocking of key thoroughfares and main highways. Areas of the country typically affected by mining issues include Madre de Dios, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Puno and Cusco departments. Although the majority of mining operations in Peru are government sanctioned, illegal mining is also likely to persist in parts of the country despite regulations making it a criminal offence and security operations against those involved in such activities.
Coca growers frequently stage protests against the government's eradication of illegal coca plantations in order to deal with the increasing problem of drug trafficking associated with ultra-leftist Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) guerilla group in Huánuco, San Martín and Ucayali departments. Coca farmers allege that the government's operations are aimed at them.
RISK MITIGATION: Avoid the vicinity of planned demonstrations and strikes if and when possible. Keep up with current events - read newspapers, be aware of your surroundings and of current events, sign up for alerts through ISOS.
Most demonstrations in Lima take place in/around the historic downtown area near the Presidential Palace and the Congress, although some do occur in other areas of the city. Marching groups of demonstrators often force the temporary closure of streets until they pass. Political demonstrations take place in cities, sometimes paralyzing road traffic for a few days. Demonstrators often block areas of the Pan American Highway, the main north-south thoroughfare located along the western coastal area of the country.
Disruptive protests have been held over issues related specifically to mining in the country. President Ollanta Humala declared a sixty-day state of emergency in Islay province (Arequipa department) on 23 May 2015 after several months of often violent protests over a local copper mine; at least four people were killed and hundreds injured through the course of the unrest. Such activities typically involve work stoppages and the blocking of key thoroughfares and main highways. Areas of the country typically affected by mining issues include Madre de Dios, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Puno and Cusco departments. Although the majority of mining operations in Peru are government sanctioned, illegal mining is also likely to persist in parts of the country despite regulations making it a criminal offence and security operations against those involved in such activities.
Coca growers frequently stage protests against the government's eradication of illegal coca plantations in order to deal with the increasing problem of drug trafficking associated with ultra-leftist Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) guerilla group in Huánuco, San Martín and Ucayali departments. Coca farmers allege that the government's operations are aimed at them.
RISK MITIGATION: Avoid the vicinity of planned demonstrations and strikes if and when possible. Keep up with current events - read newspapers, be aware of your surroundings and of current events, sign up for alerts through ISOS.
Environmental Hazards
Earthquakes are common throughout the year, and visitors should be prepared to deal with these and other natural disasters. There have been several devastating earthquakes throughout Peru’s history, and Peru has the highest rating for seismic activity assigned by the U.S. Department of State. In August 2007, the southern part of Peru experienced an 8.0 earthquake that killed 510 individuals and injured thousands. As a result of this earthquake, telephone communications were disrupted, and drinking water and electricity services were interrupted in many cities, including several locations in Lima. According to the Instituto de Defensa Civil del Peru (INDICE), in 2015, there were 277 earthquakes recorded. In 2014, there were only 36 recorded seismic events.
Floods and mud/landslides occur frequently during the rainy season and often result in road closures for extended periods. Although the west coastal region does not receive much precipitation, the mountainous Andes and jungle regions to the east experience significant precipitation during the rainy season. Massive floods left thousands stranded in Aguas Calientes (base of the Machu Picchu Mountain) in January 2010.
Peru is regularly affected by El Niño and La Niña currents that can particularly create problems for the Peruvians who use the sea as their main or only source of income. In an El Niño year, the whole weather system reverses, and the dry high pressure system that Peruvians are used to changes to a tropical, rainy, low pressure scheme. The fish that normally flourish in cool waters reproduce in lower numbers as the warmer water contains less oxygen, and those fish that remain tend to move offshore and out of reach of most fishermen’s range. In addition to affecting the fishing industry, El Niño brings torrential rain showers to agricultural land on the seaward side of the Andes and higher than normal levels of snow melt, both of which can trigger land/mudslides. In even minor El Niño years, rivers swell with increased rain water, and flooding is a regular occurrence. The government closely monitors satellite data and information from buoys in the Pacific Ocean in order to warn the appropriate areas that will be affected a few months in advance of extreme weather events.
RISK MITIGATION: Create an emergency kit. Make sure to register with the U.S. State Department's STEP service to 1) receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans; 2) help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency; and 3) help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency. If you are not a U.S. citizen, contact your home country's embassy for information on similar programs and services.
Additional Resources
FEMA: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/index.shtm
Drop Cover Hold On: http://www.dropcoverholdon.org
Terremotos: A California-specific site containing useful guidance in Spanish for earthquake preparedness - http://www.terremotos.org
Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_583_,00.html and http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/foreignmat/earthspn.html
Floods and mud/landslides occur frequently during the rainy season and often result in road closures for extended periods. Although the west coastal region does not receive much precipitation, the mountainous Andes and jungle regions to the east experience significant precipitation during the rainy season. Massive floods left thousands stranded in Aguas Calientes (base of the Machu Picchu Mountain) in January 2010.
Peru is regularly affected by El Niño and La Niña currents that can particularly create problems for the Peruvians who use the sea as their main or only source of income. In an El Niño year, the whole weather system reverses, and the dry high pressure system that Peruvians are used to changes to a tropical, rainy, low pressure scheme. The fish that normally flourish in cool waters reproduce in lower numbers as the warmer water contains less oxygen, and those fish that remain tend to move offshore and out of reach of most fishermen’s range. In addition to affecting the fishing industry, El Niño brings torrential rain showers to agricultural land on the seaward side of the Andes and higher than normal levels of snow melt, both of which can trigger land/mudslides. In even minor El Niño years, rivers swell with increased rain water, and flooding is a regular occurrence. The government closely monitors satellite data and information from buoys in the Pacific Ocean in order to warn the appropriate areas that will be affected a few months in advance of extreme weather events.
RISK MITIGATION: Create an emergency kit. Make sure to register with the U.S. State Department's STEP service to 1) receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans; 2) help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency; and 3) help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency. If you are not a U.S. citizen, contact your home country's embassy for information on similar programs and services.
Additional Resources
FEMA: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/index.shtm
Drop Cover Hold On: http://www.dropcoverholdon.org
Terremotos: A California-specific site containing useful guidance in Spanish for earthquake preparedness - http://www.terremotos.org
Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_583_,00.html and http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/foreignmat/earthspn.html
Popular Tourism Destinations
Many popular destinations in Peru are quite remote. These areas have few facilities able to provide advanced or emergent medical care. Local rescue capabilities are severely limited. Many mountain areas are too high for helicopters to fly safely. Accidents or injuries while hiking or climbing are common; crisis responders may take hours or even days to reach you if they are traveling over great distances and/or rough terrain. Ayahuasca tourism is increasingly popular in Peru, but poorly regulated. The MIT-Chile/Peru/Argentina strongly urges students to not participate. While popular media highlights its use as a spiritually liberating or medically beneficial agent, many users have reported severe/negative physical and psychological effects from using this powerful hallucinogen. Participants in ayahuasca tours have reported being physically or sexually assaulted, or robbed.
RISK MITIGATION: Always check with local authorities before traveling about local geographic, climatic, health, and security conditions that may impact your safety. Be aware that you may not have access to phone or internet for days at a time. Leave detailed written plans and timetables with a friend or family member before traveling to remote areas.
RISK MITIGATION: Always check with local authorities before traveling about local geographic, climatic, health, and security conditions that may impact your safety. Be aware that you may not have access to phone or internet for days at a time. Leave detailed written plans and timetables with a friend or family member before traveling to remote areas.