R 151352Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9872

UNCLAS LIMA 000054 
 
 
DEPT FOR DS/OSAC 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/WHA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS, ASEC, APER, AMGT, PE 
SUBJECT: CORRECTED: ANNUAL OVERSEAS SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL (OSAC) 
CRIME AND SAFETY REPORT. 
 
REF: 08 STATE 132056 
 
¶1. Overall crime and safety situation: 
¶A. An OSAC member traveling to Peru (as with any overseas travel) 
should take certain precautions to ensure their safety and security. 
Doing so will allow them and other American business people living 
and conducting operations in Peru to successfully navigate the crime 
and safety situation with minimal disruption to their work and 
personal lives. The Regional Security Office (RSO) at the U.S. 
Embassy presents the 2009 OSAC Crime and Safety Report as a guide 
for OSAC members and potential members for use in their overall 
business operations and living situations. 
 
¶B. The U.S. Department of State rates Peru as a Critical Threat Post 
for Crime. Peru is said to have one of the highest reported crime 
rates in Latin American, and the Peruvian National Police (PNP) have 
stated that a crime occurs every three minutes in the city of Lima. 
Although violent crime against foreigners is relatively rare and has 
declined overall compared to last year it can and does happen. All 
U.S. and foreign visitors are vulnerable to crime, as they are often 
perceived to be wealthier than the local populace and more likely to 
be carrying large amounts of cash and other valuables. While U.S. 
Mission members and foreign residents normally reside in affluent 
areas where private security and local police are more effective, 
their residences (single-family home) and businesses are frequently 
burglarized and they are most often victimized by street crime. 
Residential burglaries are most common during the day and on 
weekends or holidays when houses are left vacant. Thieves often gain 
entry through unsecured entryways, by tricking domestic employees, 
or use of force when the home is vacant (or appears vacant). The 
theft of vehicles (including carjacking) and the theft of parts from 
parked vehicles is another frequent crime. The Peruvian Government 
has made strides in its fight against domestic terrorism, but the 
threat of attacks in certain parts of the country still exists and 
visitors should take every precaution to avoid traveling to those 
particular areas whenever possible. Please read the portion of this 
report regarding the Embassy's Restricted Travel Policy and the 
areas included in it. 
 
¶2. Political Violence: 
¶A. There is no real anti-American sentiment in Peru, though a 
certain portion of Peruvian society, including illegal coca growers, 
is resentful of U.S. counter-narcoties policies. Others blame U.S. 
foreign and economic policy for their difficult economic situation. 
Unrest and disorder are largely temporary and are normally limited 
to political demonstrations that sometimes become violent. 
Nation-wide transportation strikes are not uncommon and may 
adversely affect travelers for short periods of time. As in previous 
years, in 2008 there were large national protests against the 
government or governmental policies by a wide variety of labor 
groups. All demonstrations, including peaceful ones, should be 
avoided, as the possibility always exists that they may unexpectedly 
turn violent. 
 
¶B. Most demonstrations in Lima tend to take place in and around the 
historic downtown area close to the Presidential Palace and the 
Congress, although they have occurred in other areas of the city as 
well. Marching groups of demonstrators often force the temporary 
closure of street until they pass. Political demonstrations take 
place in cities throughout the country, sometimes paralyzing road 
traffic for a few days. 
 
¶C. The Peruvian government continues to demonstrate success against 
terrorist groups in 2008 arresting 128 members, most of who were 
members of Sendero Luminoso (SL), or Shining Path, Peru's largest 
and most active domestic terrorist group. There are, however, SL 
columns that remain active, and have become more aggressive due to 
increasing Peruvian Military and Police pressure in the area of 
operation, targeting counter-narcotics efforts in the areas of the 
Upper Huallaga and Apurima river valleys. There interior areas of 
Peru are known for significant narcotics production and narcotics 
trafficking. There were no significant terrorist attacks in Lima or 
in any other major city or tourist destination in 2008. The last 
significant SL terrorist attack in Lima occurred in March 2002, in 
which a car bomb detonated in the parking lot of a shopping mall 
across the street from the U.S. Embassy in the Monterrico district 
of the City. Another indigenous terrorist group, the Movimiento 
Revolucionario Tupac Amaru (MRTA), is inactive except for a limited 
presence in the Department of Junin. MRTA has not conducted any 
significant operations since most of their leadership was killed in 
the rescue operation at the Japanese Embassy in 1997. The U.S. 
Department of State has removed them from its list of active 
terrorist organizations. Finally, members of the Revolutionary Armed 
Forces of Columbia (FARC) have reportedly crossed the remote 
Putumayo River into Peru and engaged in small-unit clashes with 
Peruvian military and police units who have confronted them. 
However, there is no information at this time that suggests or 
indicates that the FARC are conducting terrorist activities or 
otherwise pose a threat to American interests in Peru 
 
¶3. Post-Specific Concerns: 
¶A. Many areas of the country are considered dangerous due to 
potential terrorist and/or criminal activity. Travel to such areas, 
particularly overland, can be risky. Traveling by road at night is 
especially dangerous. As a result, the U.S. Embassy in Lima enforces 
a Restricted Travel Policy (RTP)which is based on the Government of 
Peru declared emergency zones. This policy governs the travel of 
official U.S. Government employees and restricts or prohibits their 
travel to certain portions of Peru. The following areas have regular 
security problems, and are considered restricted to Embassy 
employees, and should be avoided by prudent travelers: 
 
Department of Ayacucho: 
Restricted: Provinces of La Mar and Huanta: overland travel from 
Ayacucho to San Francisco is prohibited. 
Premitted: Daylight road travel from Ayacucho to the city of Huanta. 
Staying within the city limits of Huanta. Daylight road travel from 
Pisco to Ayacucho City. 
 
Department of Cusco: 
Restricted: 20-kilometer swath of territory contiguous to the 
Apurimas River and the Department of Ayacucho. 
Permitted: Everywhere else including Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley 
and the city of Cusco. 
 
Department of Huanuco: 
Restricted: Provinces of Maranon, Huamalies and Leoncio Prado. Road 
travel from Huanuco City to Tingo Maria City. 
Permitted: Flying into and staying with the city limits of Huanuco 
and Tingo Maria. 
 
Department of Huancavelica: 
Restricted: Province of Pampas 
Permitted: Traveling by train from Huancayo to Huancavelica City is 
permitted, and daylight road travel from Pisco to Ayacucho City 
 
Department of Junin: 
Restricted: Provinces of Satipo and Concepcion east of the Rio 
Mantaro. 
Permitted: Dayliht travel from La Merced to Satipo 
 
Department of Loreto: 
Restricted: A 20 kilometer wide strip along the entire 
Peru/Colombian frontier. Travel on the Putumayo River is also 
restricted. 
 
Department of San Martin: 
Restricted: Province Tocache. 
Permitted: Flying only into and remaining within the city limits of 
Tocache. 
 
Department of Ucayali: 
Restricted: Province of Padre Abad and Coronel Portillo west of 
Pucallpa City and west of Ucayali River. Road travel from Pucallpa 
to Aquaytia and all cities west of Aguaytia. 
Permitted: Flying into and remaining within the city limits of 
Pucallpa and Aguaytia. The province of Coronel Portillo east of the 
Ucayali River. 
 
¶B. Nighttime travel via road outside the greater Lima area and other 
cities is prohibited for Government personnel and contractors due to 
poor highway safety and the threat of bandits, except for nighttime 
travel by commercial bus along the Pan American Highway. The only 
exceptions are the following. Travel by commercial bus on the 
Pan-American Highway is permitted for official or personal travel. 
Or travel by personal of offical vehicle on the pan-American Highway 
south from Lima to Paracas or north from lima to Huacho. There are 
many contributing factors to this prohibition. Criminal gangs are 
known to use roadblocks and rob passengers on passing cars and 
buses. In addition, highways and other roads in Peru are kept in 
overall poor condition, creating a serious safety threat to drivers. 
Peru has one of the highest road fatality rates in Latin America. 
According to Transit Police statistics, almost 1000 people died and 
over 5,000 were injured as a result of motor vehicle accidents in 
¶2008. Further information on road conditions and road safety can be 
found on the Embassy's Consular Information Sheet in the Internet. 
 
¶C. There is no standing travel restriction within the city of Lima. 
The Regional Security Office considers the following neighborhoods 
to be relatively safe: Miraflores, San Isidro, Barranco, La Molina, 
Camacho, San Borja, Monterrico, and the eastern section of Surco. As 
with any big city there is no guarantee, of course that crime will 
not occur in these areas, and care must still be exercised, 
particularly at night. 
 
¶D. Crime is a constant problem in Lima and most other parts of Peru. 
Street crime is prevalent in most urban areas, particularly in Lima. 
Sport utility vehicles and sedans with expensive upgrades are the 
most common type of vehicles targeted by carjackers. The 
increasingly violent nature of carjacking and the rise in frequency 
of attempts are cause for concern. Residential burglaries, mostly of 
single-family homes, occur on a regular basis. Pick pocketing, purse 
snatching, "smash and grab" robberies, the theft of items from 
unoccupied vehicles, and the theft of vehicle parts from unoccupied 
vehicles, and the theft of vehicle parts (mirrors, lights, etc.) are 
common crimes. Gangs of roving youths, known as "piranhas," 
typically attack as a group and steal anything of value, including 
clothes from their victims in broad daylight on city street. These 
gangs often operate with impunity and with little or no fear of the 
police. A recent example of this "piranha" style attack occurred to 
the dependents of an Embassy employee while stopped and go traffic. 
The attackers reached in via an open window and unlocked the doors 
to the car, and proceeded to attempted to steal the belongings of 
the wife and daughter of the Embassy employee. Although the two 
dependents were able to fight off the attacker, this is a perfect 
example of the type of attacks which can occur (Add recent incident 
against Embassy dependents.) 
 
¶E. The Police recorded 7 kidnappings in 2008 and 6 in 2007; a 
noticeable decease from 30 kidnappings that were reported just in 
¶2006. (RSO believes that the number of ransom kidnappings is highly 
unreported based on anecdotal information received in the 
office.)While in Lima kidnappings have been primary short-term and 
geared toward ATM and bank withdrawals, there has been an increase 
in long-term kidnappings focused on acquiring large sums of cash, 
with the targets being wealthy or suspected wealthy persons residing 
in affluent areas. Violent crime has been on the decline over the 
last few year, however again there has been a increases in crimes of 
opportunity to include robbery, carjacking and vehicle thefts. 
 
¶4. Natural Disasters 
¶A. Earthquakes and tremors 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 State Department. In August 2007, 
the South of Peru experienced and 8.0 earthquake that killed 510 
individuals and injured thousands. Mudslides and landslides also 
occur with frequency during the rainy season and often shut down or 
close roads for extended periods of time. 
 
¶B. The most basic advice for earthquake preparedness includes three 
steps: Plan. Prepare. Practice. 
 
¶C. In an earthquake region residents should think about what 
supplies, tools, information and resource they will need in the 
event of an earthquake. There are six basic elements people should 
have as part of their preparedness kit: water, food, first aid 
supplies, clothing and bedding, tools and emergency supplies (e.g., 
candles, gloves, hard hats, pry bar, flashlights, matches, 
sanitation supplies), and specialty items for medical conditions. 
 
¶D. When developing your emergency plan, take the time to write down 
exactly what you will do and make a record of critical information 
(addresses, contact numbers, bank information, etc.) There are two 
tools that can be downloaded and used to help you plan effectively - 
the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit and the Personal Disaster 
Preparedness Guide. Both document templates are available at 
http://www.operationhope.org/smdev/lf1.php?id =187. 
 
¶E. Once you have you plan prepared and your emergency supplies 
assembled, you (and anyone else in your household) should take time 
to practice your emergency plans. What would you do if an earthquake 
occurred during the workday? Where would you meet? Does everyone 
have an emergency kit they can use if they are away from home? 
 
¶F. A good way to check how prepared you are for an emergency is to 
attempt to evacuate your home with only ten minutes notice. Observe 
how many essential items (emergency supplies, important papers, 
food, clothing) you are able to assemble and depart with in this 
short time frame. Be honest with yourself and then take steps to 
correct the deficiencies in the location, accessibility and 
quantities of your emergency supplies. Practice your emergency plan 
at least once every six months. If you have other family members in 
your home, consider running a practice drill during the night or 
early morning to see if everyone can effectively respond at an 
inconvenient time to an emergency such as an earthquake. 
 
¶G. A final reminder is to keep track of the food and water supplies 
you have on hand and rotate them on a regular basis. Buy what you 
will eat and then eat what you buy. It is essential to be familiar 
with how to prepare and store the food you have selected as part of 
your emergency supplies. A useful reference is an article entitled 
"Preparing an Emergency Food Supply, Short Term Food Storage" found 
at http://www.fcs.uga.edu/ext/pubs/html/FDNS-E-3 4-2.html . The 
article, written by food safety specialists, outlines important tips 
to keep in mind when purchasing emergency supplies by focusing on 
how you should be planning to store the food once you have begun to 
use it. 
 
Additional references: 
 
FEMA - Earthquake page 
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/index.s htm 
 
Drop Cover Hold On 
http://www.dropcoverholdon.org 
 
Terremotos.org 
A California-specific site but it contains useful guidance in 
Spanish for earthquake preparedness 
http://www.terremotos.org 
 
Red Cross - Earthquake Preparedness 
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/ 
0,1082,0_583_,00.html 
 
Red Cross - Earthquake Preparedness (Spanish) 
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/ 
foreignmat/earthspn.html 
 
Travelers should be sure to consult the U.S. Embassy's Consular 
Information Sheet, either through the U.S. Department of State's 
webpage (www.state.gov) or the Embassy's webpage 
(http://peru.usembassy.gov). 
 
¶5. Police Response: 
¶A. With the exception of several special units, PNP lacks 
professionalism in comparison with U.S. standards. Many police are 
eager to serve but do not have the training and equipment necessary 
to effectively serve the populace. Morale is poor, pay is low and 
corruption is rampant, which has helped create an overall negative 
image of the police in the minds of the populace. Police have been 
known to either solicit bribes in order to supplement their 
salaries, or may readily accept bribes when offered. Police response 
to reported crimes is notoriously slow and in many cases largely 
ineffective. There is a police presence in all major cities and 
town, but they are often unable to respond to calls for service and 
are incapable of proactively fighting crime. Any circumstance 
involving a violation of the law, including traffic accidents, must 
be reported to the local police station. Police will not initiate an 
investigation of any incident until a report has been filed. Foreign 
visitors who become victims of a crime should contact the Policia de 
Turismo (tourist police) whenever possible. The tourist police are 
among the more knowledgeable and helpful of police units, can be 
found in the major tourist areas, and are more likely to speak 
English. 
 
Police emergency number: 
Police Turismo Lima: 
Office: 332-3222 
Fax: 431-1668 
Trujillo 
Region: (044) 232-552 
Subregion: 221-908 
Fax: 207-054 
 
Iquitos 
Region: (065) 232-453 
 
Cusco 
Region: (084) 242-611 
Telefax: 802-606 
Turismo 249-6654 
 
Chiclayo 
Region: (074) 237-740 
Fax: 235-534 
Central: 236-700 
Turismo: 236-700 extension 311 
 
Cajamarca 
Subregion: (076) 822-832, 822-165 
Fax: 823-438 
 
Huaraz 
Region: (043) 721-592 
 
Chimbote 
Region: (043) 329-205, 321-651 
Fax: 346-606 
 
Huancayo 
Region: (064) 217-458, 234-651 
 
Ica 
Region: (056) 218-456 
 
Ilo 
Provincial: (053) 781-331 
Fax: 781-212 
 
Huanuco 
Provincial: (062) 513-262, 513-480 
Fax: 781-220 
 
Piura 
Region: (730)305-455, 307-650, 326-071 
 
 
¶6. Medical Emergencies: 
 
¶A. Emergency medical service is generally not reliable in Peru. The 
U.S. Embassy health unit recommends the use of private ambulance 
services whenever possible. Telephone numbers for these services can 
be found in local telephone directories. The quality of medical 
facilities also varies from location to location, and U.S. health 
insurance is almost never taken. For this reason, treatment may be 
held up until proof of ability to pay is shown, either by cash or 
credit card. 
 
¶B. The following are U.S. Embassy recommended health clinics in 
Lima: 
Clinica Anglo American 
Tel: 221-3656 
Av. Salazar s/n 
Cuadra 3 
San Isidro District 
 
Clinica San Felipe 
Tel: 219-0000 
Av. Gregorio Escobedo 650 
Jesus Maria 
 
Clinica San Felipe Urgent Care Center 
Tel: 219-0000 Ext. 718 
Av Javier Prado Este 4841 
La Molina 
 
Clinica San Borja 
Tel: 475-3141, 475-4410 
Av. Guardia Civil 337 
San Borja District 
 
Clinica El Golf 
Tel: 264-3300 
Av. Aurelio Miro Quesada 1030 
San Isidro District 
 
¶7. Travel Precautions: Tips on How to Avoid Becoming a Victim 
 
¶A. Travelers should maintain a low profile where possible. They 
should also attempt to dress down and avoid carrying large sums of 
cash, credit cards, ATM cards, cameras, and wearing expensive 
jewelry. It is recommended that money be changed at local banks or 
at established hotels, rather than through the moneychangers that 
operate in vast number along city streets which have been known to 
deal in counterfeit currency. Credit card fraud is rampant and many 
travelers have reported the theft of their cards numbers while 
traveling in Peru. The Embassy recommends that travelers limit their 
use of credit cards to paying only for hotel expenses or purchases 
at well-established businesses.  Travelers should exercise caution 
when withdrawing money from ATM machines. Criminals have been known 
to stake out banks and after identifying an individual who has 
withdrawn cash, either immediately assault them or follow them to 
another location before committing the robbery. In recent years 
several high profile Peruvian citizens fell victim to such robberies 
after being followed from a bank to their house by assailants. 
 
¶B. Under Peruvian law all persons must carry one form of valid photo 
identification. Due to the large trade in stolen U.S. passports, 
travelers are cautioned to avoid carrying their passports whenever 
possible, but should carry a photocopy of the data/biographic page, 
the page containing the visa (if needed), and a copy of the Peruvian 
Immigration form received at the port of entry. Additionally, some 
type of valid original photo identification must also be carried, 
such as a driver's license. Original passports should be locked in a 
hotel safe or other secure location. 
 
¶C. Tourists should try to travel in groups whenever possible and use 
radio-dispatched taxicabs rather than public transportation. There 
are a number of radio dispatched taxi services available in Lima, 
all which provides generally reliable service in late model sedans. 
These "radio taxis" offer a higher degree of security since 
criminals, operating in groups or individually, have been known to 
pose as taxi drivers and prey on unsuspecting individuals. 
Particular care should be exercised when traveling to and from Jorge 
Chavez International Airport in Lima. The Embassy has seen a rash of 
crimes in which thieves smash the car windows of slowly passing or 
stopped vehicles and steal items or real or perceived value from 
unsuspecting travelers, such as purses, laptops, backpacks, and 
luggage. Several members from the American community have reported 
items being stolen from their checked luggage at the international 
airport. Caution should also be used when placing valuables, 
specifically electronic items, into checked luggage when traveling 
through the airports in Peru. 
 
¶D. There are several competent private security businesses operating 
in Peru, many of which offer a wide variety of services in Peru, 
many of which offer a wide variety of services such as executive 
protection, private investigations, guard services for large events, 
armored car services, and physical security for both work and 
residential locations. The Regional Security Office at the U.S. 
Embassy would be happy to discuss the security concerns of all U.S. 
business travelers contemplating a trip to Peru, provide 
recommendations for security companies, or to otherwise be of 
assistance to the OSAC members while in country. 
 
How to contact the Embassy: 
Regional Security Officers: 618-2469 
RSO: George Nutwell 
DRSO: Luis Matus 
ARSO: Anthony Spotti 
ARSO: Pamela Maldonado 
ARSO: Abraham Ramirez 
ARSO/I: Galo Guerrero 
 
Embassy Operator 434-3000 
Consular Affairs 618-2518 
Political Section 618-2410 
Economic Section 618-2410 
Marine Post One 618-2436 
 
¶8. OSAC Country Council 
 
¶A. There is an active OSAC country council in Lima that encourages 
all potential members to join. Prospective members can obtain 
further information on how to enroll by contacting the OSAC country 
council at the American Chamber of Commerce at 011 511 241-0708. For 
further information regarding security issues in Peru, visit the 
Regional Security Office's Internet website at 
http://peru.usembassy.gov/wwwsrso.shtml, or contact the Regional 
Security Office of the U.S. Embassy by phone (011 511 618 2469), fax 
(011 511 618 2278) or e-mail (RSOLIMA@state.gov). More information 
is available by calling the U.S. Dept. of State's consular 
information number (202 647 4000) or visiting their website at 
http://travel.state.gov. 
 
¶9. Point of Contact for this message is RSO George M. Nutwell III, 
contact information is provided above. Regards. 
 
MCKINLEY