Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expresses its deep concern as at least eight investigative journalists in Peru were subjected to surveillance, legal proceedings, and requests to hand over their communications records in September 2025 alone. All of these journalists had exposed corruption cases involving President Dina Boluarte and her close associates. These attacks are part of a strategy by those in power to discredit, harass and criminalise journalists investigating corruption at the highest levels. RSF calls on the authorities to urgently investigate these cases and guarantee that independent journalists can work in safety.
In September 2025, eight Peruvian investigative journalists were subjected to surveillance measures, legal proceedings and requests for the interception of their communications by police officers, senior state officials and political figures, in retaliation for their work. All of them had uncovered cases of corruption involving President Dina Boluarte, her brother Nicanor Boluarte, and the current Minister of Justice, Juan José Santivanez. These attacks are not isolated incidents but form part of a strategy employed by those in power to discredit, harass and criminalise journalists who investigate corruption at the highest levels.
“RSF expresses its solidarity with these Peruvian journalists, who have been targeted for their investigative work, and urges the Public Ministry to swiftly investigate the surveillance and harassment complaints and guarantee safe conditions for the practice of independent journalism. These abusive actions are intended to intimidate and silence those who investigate corruption at the highest levels of state. We remind the Peruvian authorities that the surveillance and criminalisation of journalists constitute a serious violation of press freedom and the public’s right to information.
Surveillance and Threats
During a press conference on 3 September, retired Colonel Harvey Colchado, who had led major anti-corruption operations before being dismissed under controversial circumstances, publicly denounced these violations and confirmed that police intelligence agents were monitoring journalists as a prelude to possible attacks. He specifically cited journalist Karla Ramirez Camarena, head of the investigation unit of the Panamericana TV news programme “Panorama”, as a target. In a video posted to her social media on 31 August, the journalist had reported that she was being threatened with attacks disguised as street assaults after she had revealed corruption links involving Nicanor Boluarte, Justice Minister Juan José Santiváñez Antúnez and multiple police officers.
On 10 September, Gustavo Gorriti, director of the investigative news portal IDL-Reporteros and one of Peru’s most renowned investigative journalists, was subjected to defamation and death threats from the Mayor of Lima and 2026 presidential candidate, Rafael López Aliaga. Gustavo Gorriti had exposed the Lava Jato-Odebrecht scandal, one of the most significant corruption cases of the last decade, involving political figures and the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. In 2022, he had also reported that Rafael López Aliaga was under investigation for money laundering.
Requests to lift communication secrecy
On 4 September, a prosecutor assigned to the Ministry of Justice filed a request to override the law allowing journalists to keep their communications records confidential for two reporters who had uncovered corruption cases involving the President’s entourage. The first is Latina Noticias journalist Rodrigo Cruz Arana, who investigated the role of the president’s brother, Nicanor Boluarte, in an affair known as the “Cofre case” and revealed that the presidential car had been used in the escape of a fugitive politician case; and César Prado Malca, an IDL-Reporteros journalist who investigated corruption networks linked to former Attorney General Patricia Benavides and how criminal organisations infiltrated the country’s judiciary. The Public Prosecutor’s Office accepted the request, increasing the risk that judges may soon authorise access to these journalists’ communications — something that would constitute a direct violation of press freedom.
Criminalisation via baseless complaints
In July 2025, current Justice Minister Juan José Santivanez, who was head of the intergovernmental surveillance office at the time, accused three Latina TV journalists of “spying” on him. Although the case was initially dismissed for lack of evidence, the minister appealed after taking office in August and succeeded in reopening the investigation in September. As a result, four journalists from the television programme “Punto Final” are now under investigation, surveilled and the victims of abusive legal proceedings: presenter Mónica Delta, director Juan Subauste, investigative journalist Carlos Hidalgo and cameraman Jorge Rodríguez.
