Peru police authorities have ordered the closure of Machu Picchu, a popular destination for international travelers, and evacuated hundreds of tourists amid continuous unrest with protesters.
Law enforcement personnel prevented tourists from entering the Machu Picchu Citadel along with the Inca Trail Network until further notice. In a statement, a day before the announcement, the Decentralized Culture Directorate and Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary Directorate said that tourists who had tickets for Jan. 21, 2023, or later are entitled to a refund that can be used up until a month after the end of the demonstration.
Closure of Machu Picchu
Protests in Peru earlier this week raged across the country and have left at least 30 people injured. Furthermore, at least two police officers were wounded while 11 individuals were detained on Friday as protests became violent in Puno, a city in the southern parts of Peru.
A Puno police station was set ablaze, and Interior Minister Vicente Romero said that demonstrators attacked government infrastructure, police stations, and various private businesses across Peru on Friday. The country's National Police stormed the National University of San Marcos on Saturday to remove protesters from the area, said officials in a Twitter post, as per CNN.
According to social media posts, the university's legal representatives requested authorities to assist, saying that unidentified individuals "had used violence" against university staff. They added that these people took control of the university campus, including the educational institution's doors.
On Saturday, the university said that the National Police cleared the university's doors previously occupied by protesters who "participated in marches at the national level." In a Twitter post, Interior Minister Vincent Romero Fernandez said that more than 100 protesters were taken into custody.
State news agency Andina reported that between 200 and 300 policemen entered the university campus with the assistance of an armored vehicle to remove demonstrators. Law enforcement personnel used tear gas to disperse demonstrators near the entrance gates.
Peru's Violent Protests
Hundreds of tourists were left stranded at the ancient archeological site of Machu Picchu after Peru's railway service claimed that a portion of the tracking that led back to the capital was sabotaged by demonstrators, according to Fox News.
The nationwide protests began after authorities ordered the arrest of former President Pedro Castillo after he tried to dissolve Congress to maintain his power. He became the first leader with a rural Andean background but was later impeached and imprisoned.
Authorities said that train service to and from the town of Machu Picchu, located at the base of the bill where the ancient Inca citadel with the same name sits, was closed off since Thursday. Tourists allegedly lined up to sign a petition to be evacuated in a "humanitarian train."
In a statement on Saturday, Peru's Culture Ministry said that it ordered the closure of the most famous tourist attraction in Peru along with the Inca Trail to "project the safety of tourists and the population in general."
On the other hand, Pope Francis of the Catholic Church also called for an end to the violence binding Peru that has been going on for several weeks. During his weekly address to thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, the religious leader said that violence was wrong no matter its origin, according to Reuters.
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