A trip to Peru often has the goal of visiting Machu Picchu. Due to the current wave of protests in the country, rail traffic has come to a standstill - and deprives visitors of the ruined city of the possibility of returning.
Hundreds of foreign tourists are stuck at the world-famous Inca site Machu Picchu because of the unrest in Peru. Around 800 tourists were affected, the authorities said. Because of the violent protests against the dismissal and arrest of the left-wing President Pedro Castillo, the railway line between the World Heritage Site and the city of Cusco had previously been closed.
The 100 km long railway line is the easiest and most frequently used way to get to Machu Picchu or to get away from there. The Peruvian state railway "Perurail" gave security concerns on Tuesday as the reason for the blockage and referred to calls for demonstrations by various organizations in Cusco.
Hundreds of tourists were stuck in the small town of Aguas Calientes at the foot of the ridge on which Machu Picchu is located. "We can't get away from here," said Israeli Gale Dut. "I'm traveling with my kids, it's really a problem." She just wanted to leave Peru "in complete safety", but that's not possible at the moment.
In Peru there have been protests for days against the dismissal and arrest of Castillo and the assumption of office by the new President Dina Boluarte. In response to the violence, the government declared a nationwide state of emergency on Wednesday.
In the south and southeast of the South American country, where Castillo has a particularly large number of supporters, there have been violent protests and clashes between demonstrators and police officers in recent days. According to Human Rights Ombudsman Eliana Revollar, several people were shot dead, including two minors.
