In southern Peru, which is considered the stronghold of deposed ex-president Castillo and his supporters, there have been road blockades and sometimes violent protests in recent days.
The ruins of Machu Picchu are one of the most important tourist attractions in South America with thousands of visitors a day, the main access is from Cusco. Thousands of tourists are stranded in the area, the Ministry of Tourism has reportedly already flown 4500 travelers out of Cusco.
The situation in Cusco is difficult because train traffic has also been suspended for safety reasons. A large group of tourists, for example, had to walk about 30 kilometers to the next town. Operations at the airport were also suspended.
At least 17 people were killed in clashes
Thousands of people in Lima and other cities also demanded the resignation of Castillo’s successor Dina Boluarte, the dissolution of parliament, new elections and the release of the ex-president from custody.
The Peruvian Congress rejected a bill for early parliamentary and presidential elections. Dina Boluarte, successor to the deposed Castillo, had initially aimed for early elections in April 2024 instead of the regular date of 2026. In view of the precarious security situation, Boluarte then indicated December 2023 as a possible new date.
18 months in custody for Castillo
With the dissolution of the congress, the left-wing politician Castillo wanted to forestall a vote of no confidence in parliament. His cabinet and the opposition accused him of a coup – Castillo was removed from office, arrested and held in custody for seven days. The court remanded Castillo for an additional 18 months while law enforcement officers investigated charges of rebellion.