The Peruvian Publishing House, widely recognized as Editora Perú, launched its activities in 1976. Initially entrusted with the management of state-operated newspapers, the organization today oversees two prominent media platforms, the official daily newspaper El Peruano, which not only delivers news and commentary but also serves as the official bulletin for publishing government legislative acts, as well as the Peruvian News Agency (Andina), a comprehensive source for news, imagery, video content, and audio reports on both domestic and international affairs.
Furthermore, Editora Perú operates Publishing and Graphics Services (Segraf), a state-run printing enterprise. Rich in its historical tapestry, El Peruano, established by Simón Bolívar in 1825, boasts nearly two centuries of legacy, while Andina, born in 1981, reflects a more contemporary foundation in Peruvian journalism.
Media assets
Publishing: El Peruano
News agency: Andina
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
Editora Perú was founded under the provisions of the Peruvian Enterprise of Publishing Services Act (Legislative Decree No. 181), passed in 1981. This decree defined the entity as a “private law state company.” As a government-owned enterprise, it also operates under the jurisdiction of Law No. 27170, which accords it a degree of economic, administrative, and financial independence—though it still remains within the framework of the national government structure.
The company’s governance is entrusted to a board of shareholders appointed by the government. Like all other state-run enterprises in Peru, Editora Perú is answerable to the National Fund for Financing State Business Activity (FONAFE).
The board wields the power to hire or terminate the appointment of the general manager, tasked with overseeing Editora Perú’s operations. This governing body consists of seven members, four of whom are designated by the government through FONAFE. One of these members is selected to preside as chair of the board. The board also includes a representative from the Ministry of Education, in addition to representatives from the private sector, numbering “one or more.”
The general manager, handpicked by the board, is charged with steering the company’s managerial and operational activities. The board retains the authority to remove them whenever deemed necessary.
Source of funding and budget
In 2022, Editora Perú managed its operations with a total budget of PEN 71m (US$ 18.1m), according to company records. While approximately PEN 70m falls under the “sales of services” category—suggesting the enterprise generates its own income—a substantial portion of this revenue stream originates from governmental institutions. These entities pay for the dissemination of laws, regulations, and various decrees, making the company heavily dependent on state coffers to stay afloat.
Two years later, in 2024, the company’s operating budget swelled to PEN 80.68m (US$ 21.4m), as highlighted in a report issued by the organization.
Editorial independence
Peruvian state-run media outlets often serve as mouthpieces for governmental propaganda rather than striving for impartial reporting. A notable instance is a feature on Andina’s website that showcased the president in a flattering light, claiming he was “overseeing works to strengthen health services.”
Content analyses conducted in 2021, 2022, and 2024 as part of this project exposed a prevailing editorial bias, with Andina heavily accentuating the president’s achievements while reserving criticism almost exclusively for opposition parties and former presidents. While Andina had a track record of publishing in-depth investigative pieces, such as reports on the Odebrecht corruption scandal that implicated two ex-presidents, a former presidential candidate, and contributed to former President Alan García taking his own life, the same critical gaze was curiously absent for ex-President Vizcarra’s administration, which lasted until late 2020.
The Editor Manager of Andina underscored the agency’s role as a distribution channel for official announcements rather than a platform for tough, investigative journalism. In October 2020, a managerial figure at Andina highlighted the agency’s agreement with the judiciary, wherein its platform would be used to disseminate official judicial content, going as far as including interviews with judges. The manager put it plainly: “The idea is that the information produced here in the judiciary can be distributed both by the Andean Agency and in the official newspaper El Peruano.”
El Peruano, for its part, took a similar tack, frequently publishing articles that elevated the accomplishments of former President Vizcarra while condemning efforts by the opposition-controlled Congress to oust him. The newspaper appeared partial, disproportionately granting interviews to congress members voicing support for Vizcarra and largely avoiding dissenting opinions. These tendencies highlighted a persistent slant in favor of figures in power, which raises serious questions about the independence of state-controlled Peruvian media.
Following the July 2021 elections, which saw Jose Castillo rise to the presidency of Peru, media outlets under Editora Perú visibly shifted their narrative to align with the agenda of the incoming administration, as evidenced by a content analysis conducted in February 2022. However, the political landscape shifted once again in December 2022, when Dina Boluarte assumed the presidency following Castillo’s impeachment, triggered by his controversial move to dissolve parliament. A subsequent content review in March 2024 revealed comparable tendencies in the coverage by Editora Perú’s platforms.Though Editora Perú operates under a Code of Ethics designed to uphold neutrality, impartiality, and pluralism, this same code paradoxically mandates the organization to maintain ongoing communication channels with state authorities and to accommodate formal information requests from the government. Notably, no domestic statutes or external evaluations guaranteeing the outlet’s editorial independence have been identified.
April 2025