Ministry of Defense (Peru)

The Ministry of Defence (Ministerio de Defensa, 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. , the minister of defense is Walter Astudillo.

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 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 (Cuerpo de Aviadores de la Armada) was created the same year as part of the Peruvian Navy, with the Navy ministry being reorganised as the Ministry of Navy and Aviation (Ministerio de Marina y Aviación), combining both military entities until 1941, when the Ministry of Aviation (also known as the "Ministry of Aeronautics" Ministerio de Aviación; Ministerio de Aeronáutica) 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.

Organization
The government agency under his command is organized 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)