According to a survey published in September by the Institute of Peruvian Studies, 60% of young people between 18 and 24 years old and 51% of people between 25 and 39 years old say they have plans to leave the country in the next three years. I left Lima to go to the UK for the second time in 2021, after having lived in England between 2013 and 2015. Unlike that previous period, this time many of my Peruvian friends live here, or in the US or in Canada .
At first sight, Stories of Peruvians emigrating in search of a better life are not uncommon. My parents’ generation experienced a similar process between 1980 and 1990, during the dual crises of hyperinflation and violence caused by the Shining Path.
Now Peru’s continued political and economic chaos is once again driving people away from the country. In 2022, 401,740 Peruvians left Peru. The figure almost quadrupled compared to the number in 2021, when 110,185 people left the country. By June 2023, the number grew to 415,393.
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“I have always been proud to be Peruvian, but I decided to leave and not return because, unfortunately, I feel that Peru is heading towards authoritarianism,” said Álvaro Olivares, 38. Naomi Shimabukuro (35 years old), who lives in Australia, agrees: “I read and listen to the news every day, and I know that the future of the country is very uncertain”.
A lost optimism
Once the fastest growing economy in the region, thanks to the rise of commodities and a growing agribusiness sector, Peru seemed to offer the economic opportunities that we young people were looking for.
At that time, Peruvians believed that the future looked brighter. According to the pollster Ipsos Apoyo, In July 2015, 44% said they felt optimism and hope when they thought about Peru. That figure dropped to 26% in July 2022. Now, young people want to build a life elsewhere.
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But the “Peruvian miracle,” the economy’s apparent ability to maintain high levels of growth, is now undeniably history: GDP growth rates were negative for four consecutive months through August. The effects of this contraction are evident. In the same survey mentioned at the beginning of this article, 57% reported that they were unable to purchase food at least once in the past three months.
Crime is getting worse. The local media is filled with daily reports of extortions, murders and even attacks carried out by gangs, something that was unthinkable even a year ago. The percentage of people over 15 years of age who have been victims of a crime has increased from 17.6% in January 2021 to 26.9% in June 2023, and 72% of Peruvians say they feel unsafe walking around the street at night. Several of those planning to leave the country cited insecurity as the main reason. “Trujillo, where I live, has become a no-man’s land,” said Elizabeth Calcina, 39, who is thinking about sending her family to Belgium, where her husband is from.
Peru desperately needs a new political class, ambitious people who want to work in public administration or in the private sector. Faced with this reality as an educated Peruvian, my decision to live abroad is something I constantly struggle with.
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Fortunately, some want to be part of the change and, unlike most, plan to return. “I feel like I have to give something back to Peru,” said Fernando Loayza, 31, who is completing a doctorate in the U.S. “There is a lot to do.”
ANDREA MONCADA
Americas Quarterly
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