Hundreds of foreign tourists on Wednesday were stranded in Peru’s renowned Machu Picchu region after the train service was suspended due to violent protests following the ouster and arrest of former Peruvian president Pedro Castillo.
A state of emergency was declared earlier that day as Castillo’s supporters had taken to the streets and set up roadblocks countrywide in protests against new Peruvian President Dina Boluarte. The protests left seven people dead and 200 injured.
Officials said nearly 800 tourists of varying nationalities had been stranded since Tuesday.
Photo: AFP
They said the tourists were stuck in a town at the base of the mountain where Machu Picchu, the most important attraction in Peruvian tourism and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is located.
Israeli tourist Gale Dut was unable to return to Cusco to catch a flight out of the country.
“I’m with my kids. For me, it’s a problem,” Dut said.
One Belgian tourist, who identified himself as Walter, said it is “not clear” how he will be able to return home if he is not able to get back to Cusco to catch a flight to Lima.
The train service that connects the famed Incan site with Cusco, the ancient empire’s capital, is the only way to get to Machu Picchu, about 110km away.
Trains were on Tuesday suspended as indigenous and agrarian organizations called for an indefinite strike as part of the protests that began in Cusco on Monday, with marches, attacks on public spaces and attempts to take over the city’s international airport.
Cusco Mayor Darwin Baca called for humanitarian help from the Peruvian government, seeking helicopters to help evacuate tourists who came from the US, Mexico and Spain.
The country plunged into crisis last week when Castillo tried to dissolve the Peruvian Congress and rule by decree, but was quickly impeached by lawmakers and arrested.
Boluarte has since her inauguration struggled to quell tensions, and has now called for the next election — normally due in 2026 — to be brought forward to December next year, after an earlier bid to hold a vote in 2024 failed to halt the protests.
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