Peru's government has asked the Senate to approve President Keiko Fujimori's visit to CECOT, a prison with capacity for 40,000 inmates. Her administration seeks financing and experience to expand the country's prison system, but hasn't disclosed the trip's cost or when, or at what cost, it might build the CECOT-style mega-prison Fujimori promised during her campaign.
The prison model
The government filed its travel request on Monday, October 5, for a visit to El Salvador from October 28 to 31. The Council of Ministers approved the trips on Friday, October 2. Peru's president must obtain Senate permission to travel abroad; lawmakers haven't announced a vote date.
Fujimori and Prime Minister Luis Galarreta, the head of the cabinet, signed a letter addressed to Senate President Miguel Ángel Torres of Fuerza Popular. The government submitted draft legislative resolution official letter No. 283-2026-PR. Galarreta, who also serves as first vice president, would run the presidency while Fujimori is away.
Fujimori campaigned on building a high-security mega-prison modeled on CECOT, Infobae reported. The prison's full name is Terrorism Confinement Centre, and it stands in Tecoluca. Infobae reported that no one knows its current prisoner count.
The proposed itinerary schedules a meeting with Gustavo Villatoro, El Salvador's minister of justice and public security, and a tour of CECOT on Thursday, October 29. Fujimori is scheduled to meet privately with El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele at 5 p.m., then hold talks with ministers and attend a dinner in her honour.
The letter says the visit would “reinforce the bilateral relationship” through exchanges on security, justice, education and health. It identifies “the fight against transnational organised crime” and “strengthening the prison system” as priorities, and says Peru and El Salvador have stepped up security-cooperation talks in recent years.
Security policy and its record
Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based rights group, and Cristosal, a Salvadoran group, found that the Trump administration sent 252 Venezuelan migrants to CECOT in March and April 2025. Authorities removed 137 of the 238 people flown there on March 15 under the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 wartime law.
A report dated November 12, 2025, said detainees suffered torture and other abuse until authorities sent them to Venezuela on July 18, 2025. The report found that at least 48.8% of those deported had no criminal history in the United States.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Fujimori in Lima on Thursday, September 10. Afterward, Fujimori announced Peru would join the US-backed “Shield of the Americas” against organised crime. Peru's presidency said Rubio called gangs “terrorist groups” that extort people. Fujimori's government has asked Congress for powers to declare such gangs “hostile groups and terrorist groups.”
Expansion and public spending
In September, Fujimori sought Inter-American Development Bank experience and financing to expand Peru's prisons, her office said. The government hasn't disclosed the proposed El Salvador visit's cost, and it's unknown whether the countries will sign an agreement during it. The timing and cost of any CECOT-style prison in Peru remain unknown.
On Friday, October 30, Fujimori is scheduled to visit Hospital Rosales with Health Minister Francisco Alabi, meet Education Minister Karla Trigueros and visit a public school. Trigueros is expected to brief her on “Dos Escuelas por Día” (“Two Schools a Day”), a programme to repair run-down schools or build new ones.
Fujimori is also scheduled to attend the 30th Ibero-American Summit in Madrid from Monday, November 2, to Friday, November 6. The summit will take place on November 4 and 5. Peru's letter says it wants to promote cooperation against organised crime and disaster planning, including for El Niño. Leaders are expected to adopt a Declaration of Madrid covering digital transformation, artificial intelligence and other areas.
At a New York Stock Exchange closing-bell event on Thursday, September 24, Fujimori said Peru treats foreign and local investors alike. She identified crime and a new El Niño weather event as major challenges. The Senate hasn't announced when it will consider her travel request.