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Social activists criticized the presence of a ‘mercenary’ whose company has been involved in human rights violations. On Tuesday, local broadcaster Panamericana reported that retired U.S. military officer Erik Prince, founder of the security firm Blackwater (now called Academi), is visiting Peru to propose “training for police and military units.”

Invited by far-right former presidential candidate Hernando de Soto, Prince said there are no magic solutions to address rising crime, but he plans to apply in Peru “solutions that have worked elsewhere.”

“We will provide various tools in the training for police and military units, and even for civil defense organizations that are being affected by crime,” Prince told the morning news show Buenos Dias Peru.

De Soto, who intends to run again in Peru’s 2026 presidential election, said that he and Prince are particularly focused on the problem of illegal mining.

“This is a conference to understand what is needed. Now, as the West is willing to help us, we’re seeking the knowledge he can offer. We are looking for resources to take advantage of our natural wealth and prevent criminals from seizing it,” the conservative politician said.

The former Navy SEAL also expressed concern over the “explosion of violence” in Peru and said he would spend three days in the country exploring options to address insecurity.

“We are here to listen and explore ways to help improve the government, helping to expand security stability in the country’s farthest regions and to protect people from the criminals causing the problem,” he said, mentioning that he has collaborated with the governments of Somalia and Haiti, providing their forces with tools to combat piracy and urban gangs, respectively.

Peruvian human rights defenders have warned that the presence of foreign mercenaries could erode national sovereignty and undermine civilian control over public security. Without clear regulation, Academi could operate under opaque contracts and avoid accountability before the Peruvian justice system.

They also emphasized that militarizing the fight against crime in rural areas — traditionally under the jurisdiction of the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office — could lead to repressive practices. Human rights defenders caution that the supposed “training” Prince might provide risks becoming a parallel security service focused on lethal technology and clandestine operations.

In the coming days, Prince is expected to meet with President Dina Boluarte and senior officials of the National Police. These discussions will determine whether Peru will enter into an agreement with Academi.

Prince is known for founding Blackwater in 1997, a private security company he sold to a group of investors in 2010. The company was implicated in serious human rights violations during the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

In recent years, Prince has aligned himself with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and supported a fundraising campaign aimed at destabilizing Venezuela in 2024, shortly after Nicolas Maduro was re-elected president.

Over the weekend, he spent two days in Ecuador, where he also plans to provide “training” to that country’s security forces to supposedly combat drug trafficking, illegal mining, and illegal fishing.

“Prince was here for two days, visiting the country to conduct a brief evaluation and propose a future work plan. It’s part of the planning for the training he will provide to public security forces,” said Carolina Jaramillo, spokesperson for President Daniel Noboa.

Jaramillo, however, declined to offer further details about what Prince and his company will do in a country whose government is open to hosting a U.S. military base.