Peru Starts Process to Join US Shield of the Americas

Peru has formally initiated the process to join the U.S.-backed regional security alliance known as the Shield of the Americas, Foreign Minister Carlos Espa announced on Friday, July 31, 2026. The move signals a significant foreign policy shift under newly inaugurated President Keiko Fujimori, who took office on Tuesday, July 28, and has pledged to strengthen ties with Washington and confront the nation's security challenges.

Espa made the announcement at a press conference in Lima, stating that Peru would advance efforts to become part of the security framework, which focuses on intelligence sharing, judicial collaboration, and coordinated operations against transnational criminal networks and drug trafficking. The alliance includes several Latin American nations such as Argentina, Ecuador, and El Salvador. Espa, a former communications director at the U.S. Embassy in Lima who was appointed as part of Fujimori's conservative cabinet, also reaffirmed Peru's commitment to deepening relations with the United States, which he described as a strategic partner, ally, and friend.

The decision aligns with President Fujimori's campaign promises to address Peru's worsening crime and its...