Machu Picchu: Machu Picchu, one of Peru’s top tourist sites, has suspended the entry of travelers amid unrest in the country, reports CNN. The Decentralized Directorate of Culture and the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuaries Directorate said in a statement on Saturday (local time) that the entry of tourists to the Machu Picchu Citadel and the Inca Trail network has been suspended until further notice. Officials said tourists who have tickets on or after January 21 can claim a refund for up to a month after the protests end, CNN reported.
Parts of the Urubamba-Ollantaytambo-Machu Picchu railway were damaged during anti-government protests on Thursday, prompting the suspension of train services until further notice, according to state news agency Andina. Suspended train service left 417 people, including 300 foreign nationals, stranded in Machu Picchu district.
Also read: Peru: Spark of outrage in Lima, protesters demand resignation of President Dina Boluarte
At least 300 of those tourists are foreigners, according to Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Luis Helguero. “There are people still trapped in Machu Picchu,” Helguero said. “417 tourists cannot leave the city, more than 300 are foreigners.”
Helguero said officials were assessing and repairing the damage so tourists could be evacuated. Some tourists have been evacuated on foot, CNN reports, but Helguero said the trek was at least six to seven hours long. PeruRail said it was suspending its services to Machu Picchu and to other destinations, as tracks were blocked and damaged in various places.
“We apologize for the inconvenience caused to our passengers, however, due to a situation beyond the company’s control due to the protests in Cusco,” the statement said. Peru is witnessing some of its worst political violence in recent decades. The protesters want new elections, the resignation of President Dina Boluarte, changes to the constitution and the release of former President Pedro Castillo, who is currently in pre-trial detention.
At the core of the crisis are demands for better living conditions that have not been met in the two decades since democratic rule was restored in the country. Earlier this week, protests continued across the country in Peru, injuring at least 30 people. At least two police officers were injured and 11 people were detained during protests in the southern city of Puno on Friday.
A police station in Pune was set on fire. Interior Minister Vicente Romero said protesters attacked police stations, government buildings and private businesses across the country on Friday, CNN reported. On Saturday, Peru’s national police stormed the National University of San Marcos to clear protesters, the force said on Twitter. According to the tweet, the request was made to the authorities by the university’s legal representatives, who said that unidentified people “used violence” against university staff and took control of the university campus, including the institute’s gates. The university said on Saturday that the national police cleared the gates of the university, which had been occupied by protesters who “took part in the national march”.
According to the state news agency Andina, “200 to 300 policemen entered the university campus with the help of an armored vehicle to clear the protesters. Officers used tear gas to disperse the protesters stationed near the entrance.” , the news outlet said.
(With inputs from ANI)