After five days of protests in the region of the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, in Peru, against the government’s decision to privatize the sale of tickets to the park, the Minister of Culture, Leslie Urteaga, announced an agreement and called for an end to the mobilizations.
According to the broadcaster Rádio Programas del Perù (RPP), the Peruvian minister said she had found a solution agreed together with the governor of Cusco and the mayors of Ollantaytambo, Urubamba and Machu Picchu.
The measure provides for visitation tickets to be sold on a platform managed by the regional government and the presidency of the council of ministers.
Urteaga also specified that the contract with the private company Joinnus will be concluded, but that later the management of ticket sales will be public.
The agreement comes after protest leaders announced a 24-hour truce in the mobilization to establish a dialogue with the Peruvian government in order to find a solution to the conflict.
In recent days, mobilizations blocked the railway tracks that connect Machu Picchu to Ollantaytambo and the company Ferrocaril Transandino SA had to suspend the circulation of trains. Local police repressed protesters with batons and tear gas.
The demonstrations paralyzed tourism in the region, so that last weekend hundreds of tourists trapped in the historic site were able to be evacuated.
In view of this, this Tuesday (30/01), the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised Brazilians to avoid going to Machu Picchu, due to the series of protests and strike in Peruvian territory, remembering that “railway transport is blocked to the city of Aguas Calientes (also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo), the main way of accessing the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu” and that “there is currently no plan for the restoration of rail transport service”.
Furthermore, it asked its citizens who are in Aguas Calientes to avoid unnecessary travel and to contact Iperú, a Peruvian government entity that is responsible for tourist assistance and is coordinating the evacuation of people from the location.
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
