Poder y juventud : la experiencia de las "pandillas" en Lima

This article presents a reflection on the urban youth violence in Lima, which is considered one of the most important conflicts over the past years. Apart from the journalistic articles, there are not many investigations related to this theme. During the past years local newspapers and television have reported extensively on his issue, usually recounting stories of young gang members or "pandilleros" in the Peruvian capital city but avoiding a in-depth analysis of the situation and the real meaning of "pandillera/o". The analysis is based on the experience lived with the young gang members of Los Chacales. On this document we will try to analyze the mechanisms of the power and how that power is related to the youth gangs and the violence associated with them, as well as deconstruct this "phenomenon" through intensive fieldwork.