The Ministry of the Interior (, MININTER) is a ministry of the Government of Peru responsible for the administration of the internal order of the Peruvian State, as well as managing law enforcement units. Established in 1968 under the so-called Revolutionary Government, its headquarters are located, since July 1961, in San Isidro District, occupying the former premises of Limatambo International Airport.
The ministry's General Directorate of the Internal Government operates 26 regional prefectures, 186 pronvicial subprefectures and 1396 district prefectures. The latter are supported by over 158,000 ad honorem lieutenant governors.
As of , it is headed by the Minister of the Interior .
History Prior to its establishment, it was preceded by the Ministry of Government, which took a number of names throughout its history: Ministry of Government, Justice and Worship (1855–1857) Ministry of Government, Worship and Public Works (1857–1860) Ministry of Government, Police and Public Works (1860–1896) Ministry of Government and Police (1896–1968)
Until 1961, it was housed in a building located on the southern side of Italy Square, in Barrios Altos. It was then moved to the former premises of Limatambo International Airport, in San Isidro District. It was officially renamed under the Revolutionary Government of Juan Velasco Alvarado, through Law Decree No. 17271, on December 3, 1968.
As an administrating power of the law enforcement system, it organised the Civil Guard, the Republican Guard and the Peruvian Investigative Police, until their gradual incorporation into a single police corps from 1988 to 1991.
Organisation Minister of the Interior Cabinet of Senior Management Advisors General Directorate of the National Police of Peru Institutional Control Body Police Disciplinary Tribunal General Office of Institutional Integrity Public Prosecutor's Office in charge of the Interior Sector Public Prosecutor's Office Specialized in Drug Trafficking Crimes Public Prosecutor's Office Specialized in Terrorism Crimes Public Prosecutor's Office Specialized in Crimes against Public Order Public Prosecutor's Office Specialized in Money Laundering Crimes and Forfeiture Process Public Prosecutor's Office Specialized in Organized Crime Crimes Office of National Security and Defence General Office of Social Communication and Institutional Image Police Ombudsman's Office General Office of Sectoral Strategic Planning Health Insurance Fund of the National Police of Peru General Secretariat General Office of Legal Counsel General Office of Planning and Budget General Office of Administration General Office of Human Resources Management General Office of Information and Communications Technology General Office of Infrastructure Viceministry of Public Security General Directorate of Intelligence General Directorate Against Organised Crime General Directorate of Public Order General Directorate of the Internal Government Viceministry of Internal Order General Directorate of Citizen Security General Directorate of Democratic Security General Directorate of Information for Security
Entities administered by the ministry include: The National Intendancy of Firefighters and its General Corps of Volunteer Firefighters. The National Police of Peru. The The National Superintendence for the Control of Security Services, Weapons, Ammunition, and Explosives for Civil Use (SUCAMEC)
List of ministers NamePartyPeriodTerm startTerm endMinisters of Government, Justice and Worship (1855–1857) Juan Manuel del Mar Ministers of Government, Worship and Public Works (1857–1860) Juan Manuel del Mar Ministers of Government, Police and Public Works (1860–1896) José Melgar Antonio Arenas Manuel Costas Evaristo Gómez-Sánchez Juan Miguel Gálvez Military Antonio Arenas Antonio Gutiérrez de la Fuente Military Pedro Gálvez Manuel Ferreyros Navy Rafael Velarde Military Manuel Santa María Military Civil Party Ricardo Espinoza Aurelio García Navy Military Juan Buendía Military Fernando Palacios Manuel Yrigoyen Bruno Bueno Juan Corrales Melgar Rafael Velarde Juan E. Guzmán Rafael Velarde Aurelio Denegri Buenaventura Elguera Manuel Velarde Military Camilo Carrillo Navy Manuel Velarde Military Federico Herrera Martín Dulanto Juan de Aliaga y Puente Joaquín Iglesias Pedro Alejandrino del Solar Manuel Velarde Military Pedro Alejandrino del Solar Constitutional Party Rufino Torrico Military Enrique Caravedo Aurelio Denegri José Mariano Jiménez Pedro Alejandrino del Solar Constitutional Party Guillermo Ferreyros Military Mariano Valcárcel Federico Herrera Constitutional Party Carlos Maria Elías Constitutional Party Manuel Velarde Military Pedro José Zavala Alfredo Gastón Guillermo Ferreyros Military Cesáreo Chacaltana Civil Party José Salvador Cavero Constitutional Party Ricardo Espinoza Democratic Party Benjamín Boza Democratic Party Ministers of Government and Police (1896–1968) Benjamín Boza Democratic Party Democratic Party Lorenzo Arrieta Democratic Party Democratic Party Democratic Party Military Democratic Party Ernesto Zapata Military Alejandro Deustua Civil Party Juan de Dios de la Quintana— Ernesto Zapata Military National Coalition Civil Party Germán Arenas Civil Party Civil Party Civil Party Civil Party Enrique Basadre Civil Party Plácido Jiménez Elías Malpartida Democratic Party Abel I. Montes Civic Union Aurelio Sousa Democratic Party Gonzalo Tirado Constitutional Party Hildebrando Fuentes Víctor R. Benavides Luis Julio Menéndez José Manuel García Civil Party Ezequiel Muñoz Germán Arenas Civil Party Samuel Sayán y Palacios Civil Party Germán Arenas Civil Party Democratic Party Pedro José Rada Reformist Democratic Party Reformist Democratic Party Reformist Democratic Party Arturo Rubio Roberto López Military Gustavo Jiménez Military Military Decentralist Party José Manuel García Civil Party Luis A. Flores Revolutionary Union — Conservative Coalition Alfredo Henriod Military Antonio Rodríguez Military National Democratic Front Military Manuel A. Odría Military Julio César Villegas Cerro Augusto Villacorta Álvarez Augusto Villacorta Álvarez Juan Bossio Collae Germán Pagador Blondet Óscar Trelles Popular Action Popular Action Navy Popular Action Javier Alva Popular Action Popular Action Navy Popular Action Popular Action Ministers of the Interior Military Pedro Richter Military César Campos Quesada Military Military Fernando Velit Sabattini Military César Iglesias Barrón Military Popular Action Air Force Popular Action Luis Pércovich Popular Action Military Abel Salinas APRA APRA Juan E. Soria Díaz APRA Armando Villanueva APRA Agustín Mantilla APRA Adolfo Alvarado Fournier Military Military Military Military Military Military Walter Chacón Military Fernando Dianderas Ottone Police Police Fernando Rospigliosi Possible Peru Gino Costa Alberto Sanabria Ortiz Possible Peru Fernando Rospigliosi Possible Peru Javier Reátegui Possible Peru Police Rómulo Pizarro Possible Peru Pilar Mazzetti Luis Alva APRA Police Mercedes Cabanillas APRA Octavio Salazar Police Fernando Barrios APRA Miguel Hidalgo Police Óscar Valdés Military Daniel Lozada Wilver Calle Military Wilfredo Pedraza Daniel Urresti Military Carlos Basombrío Vicente Romero Police Police Police Police Air Force Police Police Police Purple Party Juan Manuel Carrasco Together for Peru Luis Barranzuela Avelino Guillén Police National Victory Police Police Vicente Romero Police Víctor Torres Police Police Police May 13, 2025Carlos MalaverPoliceMay 13, 2025October 12, 2025Vicente TiburcioPoliceOctober 14, 2025February 24, 2026Hugo BegazoPoliceFebruary 24, 2026March 17, 2026José Zapata MorantePoliceMarch 17, 2026July 28, 2026
See also List of ministries of Peru
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