The Ministry of Defence (, MINDEF) is the government ministry responsible for safeguarding national security on land, sea and air. It exercises command over the Peruvian Armed Forces composed of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
History
In 1821, José de San Martín created three ministries of the Protectorate of Peru: those of Finance (Hacienda), War and Navy (Guerra y Marina) and Foreign Affairs (Relaciones Exteriores). They were again reestablished in 1844 after a series of changes in government.
On March 21, 1824, Simón Bolívar issued a decree in Trujillo reducing the three ministries to a single one, which would become the General Secretariat of Affairs of the Peruvian Republic (), under Colonel José Gabriel Pérez. However, shortly thereafter, the Governing Junta repealed the decree, reestablishing the three ministries.
On October 13, 1920, during the second government of President Augusto B. Leguía, the Ministry of War and Navy was separated into two ministries through law N° 4003. The Navy Aviator Corps () was created the same year as part of the Peruvian Navy, with the Navy ministry being reorganised as the Ministry of Navy and Aviation (), combining both military entities until 1941, when the Ministry of Aviation (also known as the "Ministry of Aeronautics" ) was created.
The Ministry of Defence was created by Law No. 24654 on 1 April 1987, during the government of President Alan García. It absorbed the aforementioned Ministries of War, Navy and Aeronautics as well as the Joint Command of the Armed Forces and the National Defence Secretariat.
Organisation The ministry is organised as follows: Secretaría General (General Secretariat) Viceministerio de Asuntos Administrativos y Económicos (Viceministry of Administrative and Economic Matters) Viceministerio de Asuntos Logísticos y de Personal (Viceministry of Logistics and Personnel Matters) Dirección Nacional de Política y Estrategia (National Directorate of Politics and Strategy) Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas (Joint Command of the Armed Forces) Ejército del Perú (Peruvian Army) Marina de Guerra del Perú (Peruvian Navy) Fuerza Aérea del Perú (Peruvian Air Force)
Entities under the ministry include: Benemérita Sociedad Fundadores de la Independencia Centro Nacional de Estimación, Prevención y Reducción del Riesgo de Desastres (CENEPRED) Comisión Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Aeroespacial (CONIDA) Escuela Nacional de Marina Mercante (ENAMM) Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN) Servicios Industriales de la Marina (SIMA) Fábrica de Armas y Municiones del Ejército (FAME S.A.C.) Servicio de Mantenimiento (SEMAN) Secretaría de Defensa Nacional Centro de Altos Estudios Nacionales (CAEN) Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civil (INDECI)
List of ministers
No.PortraitNameTook officeLeft officePartyPresidentSecretary of State of War and Navy (1821–1823) Bernardo de MonteagudoMilitaryJosé de San MartínMinistry of War and Navy (1823–1920) MilitaryJosé de la MarAgustín GamarraAntonio Gutiérrez de la FuenteAgustín Gamarra Pedro Pablo Bermúdez José Mercedes Castañeda Pedro Pablo BermúdezLuis José de Orbegoso Felipe SalaverryMinisters of Defence1Enrique López Albujar Trint ArmyAlan García23Alberto Fujimori4567Julio Salazar Monroe89Valentín Paniagua10David WaismanPossible PeruAlejandro Toledo11Independent12 Possible Peru13Possible Peru14Allan Wagner TizónIndependentAlan García15Ántero Flores AráozChristian People's Party16Rafael Rey ReyNational Renewal17Jaime Thorne LeónIndependent18Daniel Mora ZevallosPossible PeruOllanta Humala19Alberto OtárolaIndependent20José Antonio UrquizoPeru Wins21Pedro CaterianoIndependent22Independent23Peruvians for ChangePedro Pablo Kuczynski24Jorge Nieto MontesinosIndependent25IndependentPedro Pablo KuczynskiMartín Vizcarra26Jose Huerta†Independent Martín Vizcarra27Independent28Walter MartosIndependent29Independent30IndependentManuel Merino31Nuria EsparchIndependentFrancisco Sagasti32Walter AyalaIndependentPedro Castillo33Juan Manuel Carrasco MillonesIndependent34José Luis GavidiaIndependent35Independent36Independent37Independent38Alberto OtárolaIndependentDina Boluarte39Independent40Walter Astudillo Chávez October 10, 2025Independent41César Díaz PecheOctober 14, 2025February 24, 2026IndependentJosé Jerí José María Balcázar42 Luis Arroyo SánchezFebruary 24, 2026March 17, 2026IndependentJosé María Balcázar43 Carlos Díaz DañinoMarch 17, 2026April 22, 2026Independent44 Amadeo Flores CarcagnoApril 22, 2026July 28, 2026Independent45Rafael Belaunde LlosaJuly 28, 2026People's LibertyKeiko Fujimori
See also Peruvian Armed Forces List of wars involving the Inca Empire List of wars involving Peru
References
External links Official Website List of Military and Police awards at the Ministry of Defence, Peru