Authorities in Peru announce the establishment of a substantial youth detention facility, following the recent escape of six incarcerated minors.
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Lima, May 2nd - The Peruvian government plans to build a brand-spanking new juvenile detention facility, capable of housing around 3,000 inmates, to replace the aged one situated in San Miguel, Lima. The aged center witnessed a daring jailbreak this weekend, with six inmates slipping away.
Vice Minister of Justice, Juan Enrique Alcántara, broke the news at the Maranguita Juvenile Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Center, the scene of the breakout. He shared that after intensive talks between the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and the Agency for the Promotion of Private Investment (ProInversión), they have agreed to allocate a secluded piece of land in a still undisclosed province for the upcoming construction.
Ever since the six young foreign inmates made a jailbreak, the government has decided to declare the National Juvenile Centers Program (Pronacej) in a state of emergency. This step is aimed at swiftly providing the essential legal tools and measures needed to address the challenges faced by these centers post-incident.
Alcántara pointed out that the breach of security norms jeopardizes the entire rehabilitation effort. He added that this particular center hadn't faced such an occurrence since 2021. As a temporary solution, 29 inmates were transferred to the Ancon I Prison Annex, and nine staff members involved in the investigation were detained.
The escaping individuals were confirmed to be of Venezuelan nationality, with three being 17, two being 18, and one being 19. The breakout took place in the early hours of Monday, and footage shows a daring, denim-made rope being used to ascend the wall and slide down to the street.
Executive director of the National Juvenile Centers Program, Francisco Naquira, expressed his apprehension and indignation, fearing negligence within the facility might have facilitated the inmates' escape. He confirmed that they faced sentences of four to five years.
This daring jailbreak occurred 11 days after another high-profile escapade from the Lurigancho prison, the most risky and overcrowded jail in the nation.
Brief Side Notes:- Human Rights Spotlight: According to Human Rights Watch's April 2025 report, incidents of arbitrary detention and violence against protesters have been on the rise in the region, though specific details about new juvenile detention facilities remain unreported[2].- Peruvian Energy Venture: A solar energy project aiming to boost education and infrastructure in remote Peruvian Amazon communities was recently initiated, excluding any juvenile detention center developments[4].
Political Asylum Drama: Peru's former First Lady Nadine Heredia sought refuge in Brazil in April 2025, sentenced to 15 years for money laundering associated with Odebrecht scandals, with no connection to the construction of juvenile detention centers[5].
- The new juvenile detention facility, currently in the planning stages, will be built on a piece of land allocated by the Agency for the Promotion of Private Investment (ProInversión), as noted by Vice Minister of Justice, Juan Enrique Alcántara.
- After the jailbreak incident at the San Miguel detention center in January, the government declared the National Juvenile Centers Program (Pronacej) in a state of emergency to swiftly provide legal tools and measures needed for rehabilitation.
- In Peruvian general-news, politics, and crime-and-justice, the escaping individuals, confirmed to be of Venezuelan nationality, were sentenced to serve four to five years.
- In addition to the jailbreak, the Human Rights Watch's April 2025 report noted an increase in arbitrary detention and violence against protesters in the region, though details about new juvenile detention facilities were unreported.
