Peru says it intends to adopt IHRA definition of Jew-hatred

(Oct. 26, 2026 / JNS)

Gideon Sa’ar, foreign minister of Israel, said on Monday that he welcomes Peru’s stated decision to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of Jew-hatred.

The Peruvian government has not yet officially confirmed the news, but an Oct. 20 letter circulated online from its foreign minister to Sa’ar states the country’s decision to accept the alliance’s definition.

“I am convinced that this decision will contribute to strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation that unite Peru and the State of Israel, which are based on shared values,” Carlos Espá, Peruvian foreign minister, wrote in Spanish.

“It will reaffirm our commitment to preserving the memory of the Holocaust, as well as to promoting education to foster respect for human dignity, peaceful coexistence and fundamental rights and freedoms,” Espá wrote.

Sa’ar responded in Spanish that he celebrates the “historic decision” and that “together we continue strengthening the fight against antisemitism worldwide, Jewish organizations reacted in kind.”

Evan R. Bernstein, CEO of B’nai B’rith International, told JNS that “with our deep roots and active on-the-ground volunteer presence across Latin America, we see firsthand how these recent adoptions by governments in the region give Jewish communities on the ground a stronger, practical framework to confront antisemitism where they live.”

“We thank Peru for this meaningful step and look forward to continued progress across the region,” Bernstein told JNS.

Shay Salamon, executive director of Latin American affairs for the Combat Antisemitism Movement, told JNS that although the government hasn’t confirmed the decision, “recent incidents we have followed in Peru demonstrate why adopting the IHRA definition is particularly important for the country’s Jewish community.”

He cited remarks in April by José María Balcázar, then Peru’s interim president, who said in a speech that Germany was “pushed into a war also partly because of the Jews, because they controlled all the banks, all the commerce and practiced usury.”

The comments received a widespread backlash. A government friendlier to Israel took office in July.

Earlier this month, the Peruvian Ethics Tribunal announced that after public complaints, it is requiring media outlets to moderate and control antisemitic comments on their platforms.

“These incidents highlight the importance of moving beyond political declarations toward concrete institutional measures to recognize, prevent and combat antisemitism,” he told JNS.

Peru formally adopting the IHRA definition should be “accompanied by meaningful implementation,” which would “represent an important step for the Jewish community and for the broader regional effort against antisemitism,” Salamon said.

Peru becomes the ninth Latin American country to adopt the most widely-used definition of Jew-hatred, after Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic and Paraguay. Several have done so this year.

The United States and Argentina have made a concerted effort to expand IHRA adoption in Latin America.

Peru has a complex Jewish history dating back to the 16th century. It included a period of danger for conversos and so-called “crypto Jews” during the Inquisition. There have also been waves of immigration from Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities.

According to the World Jewish Congress, the country has about 1,900 Jews, mainly in and near the capital, Lima.