Crisis in Peru: trips to Machu Picchu canceled due to protests

Cuzco International Airport and train service to the citadel of Machu Picchu they will remain closed during this Tuesday before the announcement of social protests in that region of southern Peru, in the midst of the political and social turmoil that has left, so far, 7 dead. Earlier, LATAM and other airlines announced they were canceling their flights to the area for the same reason, according to local media.

The Peruvian Corporation of Airports and Commercial Aviation (Corpac) said in a statement that it has decided that Cuzco airport will be closed after “a crowd of protesters” tried to enter to structures through “holes in the perimeter fence”.

“In order to safeguard the integrity and safety of passengers, users, the general public and our collaborators, air operations at our Cusco terminal are suspended, as their safety is not guaranteed,” he said.

The company also requested it the protection of the National Police of Peru is strengthened (PNP) “in the face of possible criminal acts that threaten airport infrastructure, navigation, control and surveillance systems necessary for flight operations at the aforementioned airport location”.

Corpac has also recommended that passengers make arrangements for reschedule flights “directly with your airline through its official channels” and addressed “an appeal to the population for calm and serenity”.

permanent unemployment

For its part, the PerúRail company, operator of trains to Machu Picchu, has announced that this service will be suspended this Tuesday due to the announcement of the start of the mobilizations called by the unions and peasant organizations that They called for an “indefinite strike” in the area.

“We are sorry for the inconvenience these announcements cause to our passengers; however, they are due to situations beyond our company’s control and seek to prioritize the safety of passengers and workers,” a statement read.

The protests, which erupted this Sunday in Peru against President Dina Boluarte and the Congress, reached the maximum level of violence and vandalism monday when a total of seven dead, more than a hundred injured policemen and the attack on two television channels in Lima.

The ombudsman, Eliana Revollar, confirmed the number of dead in clashes between police and demonstrators demanding the resignation of Boluarte and the closure of Congress, which last Wednesday ousted Pedro Castillo from the presidency after announcing a self-coup by Condition.

The most violent clashes are taking place in the south of the country, precisely in the departments of Apurímac and Arequipa, where other mobilizations have been announced for this Tuesday, in addition to those called by the Cuzco trade unions.

Following social unrest, the government decreed a 60-day state of emergency in seven provinces of Apurímac on Monday, while protests were also felt in Lima, where protesters attacked the Prosecutor’s office and the premises of two television stations channels.

EFE extension