Around 900 tourists who were visiting the 15th-century Inca marvel Machu Picchu in Peru earlier this month were left stranded during protests that interrupted train service, according to The Guardian.
On 15 September, PeruRail, southern Peru’s primary train operator, announced that service was suspended in the country’s Cusco mountain region because a route had been blocked by “rocks of various sizes”. A local unit of PeruRail also said that part of its rail had been excavated by “third parties” amid mounting protests by local residents, according to CNN Travel. The demonstrations stemmed from the replacement of the bus operator Consettur, which transported visitors from the nearby town of Aguas Calientes to the Unesco World Heritage site’s entrance.
“Following brief interruptions to service along the route yesterday and today, PeruRail has today announced that all rail traffic along the Ollantaytambo-Machupicchu-Ollantaytambo route has been temporarily suspended," a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Lima said in a statement on 16 September. "Rail and road traffic on routes leading to Machu Picchu may be disrupted without prior notice. Travelers with rail travel plans should contact their rail service provider directly regarding rescheduling or reimbursement options. Travelers should consult with their guides or tourist agencies on travel conditions and adjust plans accordingly.”
After Consettur’s 30-year contract expired, other bus companies have attempted to fill the gap, but protesters have prevented the buses from operating. Despite 1,400 tourists being evacuated on 15 September, there were still 900 people stranded in Aguas Calientes on 16 September according to Peru’s tourism minister Desilu Leon. Evacuations were slowed by ongoing protests. The US government then issued a travel warning to Americans seeking to visit the famed archeological site.
Amid the protests, the organisation New 7 Wonders sent a letter to the Peruvian government threatening to place Machu Picchu's “Wonders of the World” status into question if the conflict escalates, according to the Independent.
According to the AFP, 14 police agents were injured in clashes with protesters while trying to clear train tracks earlier this month. have reportedly been injured during the protests. Protesters claim unfairness and a lack of transparency in the process of replacing Consettur, according to Reuters, creating a power vacuum for local businesses that depend on the tourism generated by the site—which sees upwards of 1 million visitors annually.