"Ernesto is 43 years old and works more than 16 hours a day as a bus driver in Lima. He has always enjoyed his job, is patient with passengers, and likes driving. But he doesn't any more. He knows that every day he risks death. Nearly 70 public transport drivers have been murdered this year in Peru by hitmen for refusing to pay extortion money, according to police data."
"Before, they'd rob you, take your cell phone, or your day's earnings. Now it's like Russian roulette: imagine I go out right now and it's my turn, they shoot me and it's all over, says Ernesto, a pseudonym. People are terrified, he adds. In the country, extortion has increased by more than 600% between 2018 and 2025, according to official figures. From January to September of this year, 20,705 cases were registered."
"San Juan de Lurigancho is one of the most vulnerable districts. Ernesto has no choice but to travel through it, because his route starts there and covers the entire area. Sometimes he wishes he could work less, to be less exposed; three or four days a week would be enough to cover his family's expenses. However, a year ago he bought the bus he drives and now he has to pay for it. His children and wife beg him not to go out to work."
Extortion in Peru's transport sector has surged, increasing by more than 600% between 2018 and 2025, with 20,705 cases registered from January to September 2025. Nearly 70 public transport drivers were murdered this year by hitmen after refusing to pay extortion. Drivers work extreme hours and face daily death risks while trying to support families and pay for vehicles purchased on debt. San Juan de Lurigancho is particularly vulnerable, with routes forcing exposure. Extortion tactics have escalated from robbery to targeted assassinations, threats, bullets and grenades. Company owners are often the primary targets, while drivers receive threats and bear the final violence.
Read at english.elpais.com
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