Machu Picchu protest strands hundreds of tourists

At least 900 tourists were stranded near Peru’s ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu on Tuesday, the country’s tourism minister said, after a passenger train service was suspended due to a protest.

Train operator PeruRail said service had been suspended on Monday because the route in Peru’s mountainous Cusco region had been blocked by “rocks of various sizes” as local residents clashed with authorities and bus companies.

Protesters say there is a lack of transparency and fairness in the process of replacing tourist bus operator Consettur after its concession expired, paving the way for different local businesses to benefit from the vital industry.

Tourism Minister Desilu Leon told local radio that 1,400 tourists had been evacuated on Monday but some 900 remained stranded in Aguas Calientes, the closest town to the nation’s most-visited cultural site.

The protest began last week after the concession ended of Consettur, the bus company that ferries tourists from Aguas Calientes to the entrance of the 15th-century Inca citadel.