Peru protests: Two cabinet ministers also resigned over the deaths.
Cusco, Peru:
Peru’s Congress on Friday rejected a move to move forward with elections as deadly protests at the gateway city of Machu Picchu left thousands of tourists stranded. The protesters are demanding the release of ousted President Pedro Castillo, the resignation of his successor, Dina Boluarte, and fresh elections. But the Congress voted against the bill to move the elections more than two years from 2026 to December 2023.
It comes as demonstrations escalate and the death toll rises after protesters on Thursday night tried to storm the airport in the southern city of Ayacucho, which was being guarded by troops.
Health Minister Rosa Gutierrez said on Friday that 18 people had been killed in clashes since Castillo was arrested on December 7, while two cabinet ministers resigned over the deaths.
Peru was plunged into political crisis last week after Castillo was impeached and arrested after attempting to dissolve parliament and rule by decree.
Initially detained for seven days, Castillo was ordered on Thursday to spend 18 months in pre-trial detention.
The left-wing former schoolteacher faces charges of sedition and conspiracy, and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, according to public prosecutor Alcides Diaz.
Boluarte declared a nationwide state of emergency for 30 days and said she wanted to hold further elections.
Friday’s vote in Congress needed 87 votes to pass, but it received only 49 votes to go ahead with the elections, with 33 voting against and 25 in favor.
The rising death toll seemed to be weakening Boluaarte’s grip on the presidency.
Centrist lawmaker Sucel Paredes said, “Because of the number of dead Peruvians, Mrs. Boluarte needs to resign.”
tourists in limbo
Several airports across the country have been closed, including the international terminal in Cusco, which serves as the gateway city to the jewel of Peruvian tourism, the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
Cusco’s airport is the third largest in Peru and serves many tourist sites in the region.
It has been closed since Monday after protesters tried to storm the terminal, leaving thousands of tourists in limbo.
“5,000 tourists are stranded in the city of Cusco, waiting in their hotels for flights to resume,” Machu Picchu mayor Darwin Baca told AFP.
Rail service serving Machu Picchu has been suspended since Tuesday, leaving about 800 tourists stranded at the foot of the mountain in the small town where the Inca citadel stands.
Town officials said an army helicopter is due to arrive at Machu Picchu on Saturday to begin ferrying tourists stranded in Cusco.
About 200 mostly American and European tourists have left the city on foot along train tracks to reach the city of Ollantaytambo, 30 km (20 mi) away, from where they will be able to take a train to Cusco.
Baca said, “What they fear is getting to Cusco and then not being able to go to their country because it could get worse.”
Several major roads in the old Inca capital Cusco have also been blocked by protesters, as have more than 100 roads across the country.
‘Need for criminal investigation’
The death toll rose sharply on Thursday when soldiers guarding the Ayacucho airport opened fire on protesters.
“The soldiers found themselves surrounded by crowds,” rights ombudsman Eliana Revolar told AFP.
The army says its soldiers may have first raised their weapons and then fired in the air, but Revoler said the shots were fired at the protesters.
“This deserves a criminal investigation, these men died of gunshot wounds,” she said.
Troops have been deployed due to the state of emergency but Revoler said they need to understand that their role is only to support the police.
“The state of emergency does not abrogate the protection of the right to life,” she said.
Besides the deaths in the clashes, another six people died in incidents related to road blockades, such as being prevented from reaching hospitals.
The country’s human rights ombudsman’s office said 518 people were injured in the clashes, including 268 policemen. Human rights groups said 147 people had been detained.
“It needs to stop,” Boluaarte said of the violence on Friday.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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