Peruvian Police Repress Protesters in Machu Picchu
January 26, 2024 Hour: 7:55 am
On Thursday, citizens and tourism operators in Machu Picchu initiated an indefinite strike protesting against the digital sale of tickets to the Inca citadel, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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Peruvian police used tear gas to disperse a group of protesters who had blocked the railway connecting Machu Picchu to the town of Ollantaytambo.
The citizens were protesting against a bidding process that grants a private company substantial profits for merely selling tickets through electronic means. Mayor of Machu Picchu, Elvis La Torre Uñaccori, joined the strike.
Police fired point-blank at the protesters, causing injuries including cranial contusions. The citizens requested the presence of the Ombudsman, but their request went unanswered.
#Perú Esta noche la policía arremetió contra los manifestantes que protestaban en las líneas del tren a Machu Picchu, hay varios heridos incluso una persona a la que le cayó una granada lacrimógena en la cabeza #Cusco #Joinnus pic.twitter.com/fwFBpi9Dx2
— JAIME HERRERA (@JaimeHerreraCaj)
January 26, 2024
The text reads, “Tonight the police attacked demonstrators who were protesting on the train lines to Machu Picchu. There are several injured, including a person injured by a tear gas grenade in the head.”
Legislator Silvana Robles demanded the immediate cessation of police repression against the population, stating they have “every right” to demand the nullification of the “irregular contract” between the Culture Ministry and the company Joinnus.
Despite adverse weather conditions, protesters arrived with banners against Culture Minister Leslie Urteaga, who denied that the awarding of the bid to Joinnus was tainted by corruption.
In addition to demanding the dismissal of Urteaga, the inhabitants of Machu Picchu insist on nullifying the contract that allows Joinnus to profit from ticket sales.
Thanks to the terms of the current contract, Joinnus will charge 3.9 percent for each ticket sold, resulting in an average annual profit of $3 million. Meanwhile, Machu Picchu only receives an annual maintenance allocation of less than $800,000, warned the residents.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru announced the creation of the first Andean security network against organized crime, in response to the serious security crisis that has erupted in Ecuadorian territory due to drug trafficking violence. pic.twitter.com/deAYQv0PQo
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish)
January 22, 2024
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Autor: teleSUR/ JF
Fuente: EFE