Pope Leo urges end to violence in Peru during visit to remote Andes town
Summary
Pope Leo XIV called for an end to violence in Peru during a visit to Chiclayo and the Andean town of Santa Cruz de Succhabamba. He urged people to confront injustice through prayer, persistence and efforts to bring change, and spoke about rural communities affected by migration and declining birth rates.Key Facts
- Leo spoke at his former cathedral in Chiclayo, where he had served as bishop from 2015 to 2023.
- Peru’s homicide rate rose from 5.8 per 100,000 people to 10.7 over five years.
- Reported extortion cases increased from 2,421 in 2019 to 26,734 in 2025.
- About 20,000 people attended an outdoor Mass in Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, a town with about 6,000 residents.
- Leo said brutality does not overcome selfishness, injustice or evil.
- Leo highlighted the hardship faced by people leaving rural communities for coastal cities.
- Peruvian President Keiko Jujimori declared states of emergency and pursued closer ties with the United States through the Shield of the Americas.
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