This article is adapted from AQ’s special report on the Trump Doctrine
Peru
INTERIM PRESIDENT
José Jerí
IN OFFICE
Since 2025
Peru is entering a highly unpredictable election year following protests and the impeachment of former President Dina Boluarte over rising crime and corruption. Interim President José Jerí has declared a state of emergency in Lima and Callao after vowing to wage war on crime. The national homicide rate jumped 36% from 2023 to 2024, and from January to September 2025 there were more than 20,000 reports of extortion, up 29% from the same period in 2024. In a December Ipsos survey, 66% of Peruvian respondents said crime and violence are their top concern. The presidential field remains splintered ahead of the April 12 general election; a potential runoff is scheduled for June 7. Peruvians will also elect members of the Senate and lower house, returning to a bicameral legislature. The IMF has warned that “lingering political uncertainty weighs on economic prospects,” and expects growth to moderate this year.
TRENDS TO WATCH
- April general election
- Social discontent over rising crime
- Moderate economic growth
GDP GROWTH
INFLATION RATE
KEY FIGURES
| Population (2026, millions) | 34.8 |
| Poverty rate (2026, World Bank definition, see note below) | 34.2% |
| Unemployment rate (2026) | 6.5% |
| Informal employment rate (2024) | 71.4% |
| Secondary education completion rate (2023) | 86.5% |
ECONOMIC INDICATORS (2026 PROJECTIONS)
| GDP growth (annual % change) | 2.7% |
| Inflation rate (annual % change) | 1.9% |
| Fiscal balance (% GDP) | -2.2% |
| China’s share of total export value (2024) | 33.8% |
| U.S. share of total export value (2024) | 12.8% |
NOTES: Poverty line is $8.30 per day in 2021 PPP. Percentages rounded to nearest decimal point.
SOURCES: Presidential approval: Ipsos (Dec. 2025); GDP growth, inflation, fiscal balance, population, unemployment: IMF (Oct. 2025); Share of total export value: International Trade Centre; Poverty rate: World Bank (Oct. 2025); Informal employment rate: ILO; Secondary education completion rate: IDB.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emilie Sweigart
Reading Time: 2 minutesSweigart is an editor at Americas Quarterly and a policy manager at the Americas Society/Council of the Americas
