Crisis in Peru: Machu Picchu closed for protests against the government of Dina Boluarte

This was confirmed by the Decentralized Directorate of Culture of Cusco no more visitors will enter to the citadel of Machu Picchu due to protests against the government of Dina Boluarte and the Congress, as the district entered this Saturday in a permanent unemployment.

The entity has decided to close the doors of the wondering world preserve cultural heritage and avoid putting it at risk during the social protests that are taking place across the country.

The cultural organization said in a statement that visitors who have purchased entrance tickets will be able to use them up to one month after the end of the protests or if not, facilities will be provided for the refund of the amount paid for the entrance to Machu Picchu.

For its part, the Front for the Defense of the Interests of Machu Picchu, which has announced the start of an indefinite strike, has announced that the measure will imply the closure of all shops to ask for the resignation of President Dina Boluarte.

In a pronouncement, the Defense Front announced the implementation of aa common pot for the whole neighborhoodto address the food shortage.

In recent days there have been violent protests in Cusco, in the Ollantaytambo district, where the train station for Machu Picchu is located. There were pickets of protesters and even attacks on the railway linereported the RPP news site.

Due to the demonstrations during the last few weeks, the number of visitors to Machu Picchu dropped to 500of the more than two thousand who can enter the city of the Incas per day, according to the Cusco Chamber of Commerce.

“90% of the package tours held in the first quarter have been canceled if there are no tourists companies will not be able to sustain themselvesthen the layoffs will begin and this is already at 40%,” said Maycol Ugarte, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism of Machu Picchu.

So far, the daily losses are calculated of 6 million dollars and 75% of companies they are prone to failure.

Since the beginning of the protests, 54 have already died in the anti-government protests that began on December 7, 2022.

These events occur while for the second consecutive day thousands of people participated yesterday in the so-called “Toma de Lima” through which the political, social, trade union and student movements demand the dissolution of Parliament, the resignation of President Boluarte, immediate elections and the release of former president Pedro Castillo, ousted by the legislator.

Interior Minister Vicente Romero said last night that 22 members of the national police and 16 civilians were injured on the second day of riots in the capital.

Victims divided by region, according to RPP: Puno (23), followed by Ayacucho (10), Apurímac (6), La Libertad (6), Cusco (4), Junín and Arequipa (3, each).

Source: Agencies.