The 2025 Thirteenth National Survey on Perceptions of Corruption, conducted by Ipsos for
, reveals that 94% of Peruvians associate corruption with illicit economies such as illegal mining, illegal logging, and drug trafficking.
This finding reflects the growing influence of these activities on daily life and the country’s institutional framework.
According to the study, 94% of respondents believe that illicit economies are a direct driver of corruption, and 41% say these activities are the only employment source in their regions.
Proetica said this figure demonstrates the problem’s depth and its connection to the expansion of organized crime.
During an interview with RPP Noticias, Private Anticorruption Council Chairman Jose Dextre analyzed the survey, noting that crime emerges as the country’s main problem (68%), followed closely by corruption (67%).
"We can see how corruption has become continuous and permanent. (…) The figures show the need for us to respond as a society," he warned.
In that regard, Dextre emphasized that there is "a social problem in how the value of honesty is perceived," which requires both preventive and punitive measures.
Questioned institutions
Regarding perceptions of institutions, the survey indicates that Congress ranks first as the most corrupt institution in Peru (85%), followed by the Public Ministry/Prosecutor’s Office (35%), the Government (33%), the Judiciary (33%), and the Peruvian National Police (27%).
In this regard, Dextre stated "citizens must be aware that Congress members are there because we elect them. I am part of the problem when I choose a bad Congressman."
He added that the current political landscape is marked by actors who "pursue their own interests," which deepens public distrust.
Honesty as main attribute
According to the survey, 68% of Peruvians prioritize honesty in a political candidate. This figure more than doubles other attributes such as political experience (28%), having a team (28%), efficiency (26%), or policy proposals (23%).
"What is expected above all else is honesty," the engineer stated.
He also argued that this finding represents a call for civic responsibility, emphasizing that people should not vote "for the one who appears in a photo, on television, or because they are a model," but rather for those who demonstrate intellectual and professional competence and an ethical track record.
Proetica is the Peruvian chapter of Transparency International (TI). It was established in 2002 as the first institution dedicated exclusively to promoting ethics and combating corruption.