Peru: isolated tourists in Macchu Picchu due to clashes between police and protesters
Protests in Peru are becoming increasingly violent and are engulfing large parts of the country beyond the southern region, where they began and centered last month following the impeachment and jailing of then-President Pedro Castillo .
Castillo, still being held on charges of trying to lead a rebellion after trying to dissolve Congress, was replaced by current president Boluarte, who held the position of vice president until he was sworn in under emergency conditions on December 7.
The demonstrators are demanding the dismissal of Boluarte and the immediate calling of new elections. The situation worsened over the weekend with the closure of tourist sites, especially the famous ancient ruins of Machu Picchu. The culture ministry said the closure of the site was necessary to "protect the safety of tourists and the general population" as more and more protesters flock to the area from the countryside.
Government officials said 417 visitors were stranded at Machu Picchu amid the unrest, including 300 foreigners. Fox News described that they had to be evacuated after the nearest town, which serves as a base for visitors visiting the site, descended into an emergency after clashes between protesters and police:
The city of Cusco, the former capital of the Inca empire and about 70 miles by train from the city of Machu Picchu, was the site of some of the most intense clashes since the South American nation was engulfed in unrest after the then President Pedro Castillo, Peru's first leader with a rural Andean background, was charged and jailed for trying to dissolve Congress last month.
The train service to and from the city of Machu Picchu, at the base of the hill where the ancient Inca citadel of the same name is located, has been closed since Thursday due to damage to the tracks leading back to Cusco. Hundreds of tourists reportedly lined up to sign a petition to be evacuated on a "humanitarian train".
Six weeks of rioting and massive protest clashes with police left 60 dead and around 600 injured. Below is the scene from a few days ago, which has been happening every day for weeks:
BREAKING VIDEO: Anti Government protests that have continued for over a month in Peru have just closed Machu Picchu leaving hundreds of tourists stranded. pic.twitter.com/Vu8xlxbPqO
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(@911NewsBreaks) January 22, 2023
The intervention of the security forces continued on Saturday with a police raid on the San Marcos University in Lima. It is the oldest university in the Americas.
The Guardian described the chaotic scene as follows :
On Saturday, dozens of policemen raided a university in Lima, breaking down the gates with an armored vehicle, firing tear gas and arresting more than 200 people who had come to the Peruvian capital to participate in anti-government protests. Images showed dozens of people lying face down on the ground at San Marcos University after the surprise police operation. Students reported being pushed, kicked and hit with batons as they were forced out of their dormitories.
chaos still reigns in Peru and there is no quick solution in sight.
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The article Peru: tourists isolated in Macchu Picchu due to clashes between police and protesters comes from Scenari Economici .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/peru-turisti-isolati-a-macchu-picchu-per-gli-scontri-fra-polizia-a-manifestanti/ on Mon, 23 Jan 2023 07:00:19 +0000.