LIMA
\nPeru indefinitely shut the famed ancient ruins of Machu Picchu on Saturday in the latest sign that anti-government protests that began last month are increasingly engulfing the South American country.
\nThe Culture Ministry said it had closed the country\u2019s most famous tourist attraction as well as the Inca Trail leading up to the site \u201cto protect the safety of tourists and the population in general.\u201d
\nThere were 417 visitors stuck at Machu Picchu and unable to get out, more than 300 of them foreigners, Tourism Minister Luis Fernando Helguero said at a news conference.
\nThe closure of the Incan citadel that dates to the 15th century and is often referred to as one of the new seven wonders of the world comes as protesters have descended on Lima, many of them traveling to the capital from remote Andean regions, to demand the resignation of President Dina Boluarte.
\nAlso Saturday, police raided Peru\u2019s most important public university in Lima to evict protesters who were being housed at the campus while participating in big demonstrations. More than 100 people were detained, Interior Minister Vicente Romero said.
\nUntil recently, the protests had been concentrated in the country\u2019s south. They began last month after then-President Pedro Castillo, Peru\u2019s first leader with a rural Andean background, was impeached and imprisoned for trying to dissolve Congress.
\nDemonstrators are demanding the resignation of Boluarte, the former vice president sworn into office Dec. 7 to replace Castillo. They also want Congress dissolved and new elections held. Castillo is currently detained on charges of rebellion.
\nMore than 55 people have died in the ensuing unrest, most recently on Friday night when a protester was killed and at least nine others injured in clashes with police in Puno. A total of 21 protesters and one police officer have died in the southern region.
\nOn Saturday morning, police used a small tank to burst into the National University of San Marcos in the morning.
\nJavier Cutipa, 39, who traveled by bus from Puno, had been sleeping on the floor there since Thursday but left for breakfast right before the police arrived. He described the police action as \u201cpractically an assault,\u201d with helicopters, tear gas and small tanks.
\n\u201cThis outrages us. The only thing the government is doing with these detentions is worsen tensions,\u201d Cutipa said. He added that \u201cwhen the population finds out about this they\u2019re going to react in a more radical fashion.\u201d
\nHundreds of protesters congregated outside the law enforcement offices where the detainees were being held Saturday evening chanting \u201cFreedom\u201d and \u201cWe\u2019re students, not terrorists.\u201d More congregated at other points of downtown Lima.
\nThe Inter-American Commission on Human Rights expressed \u201cconcern over the police incursion, eviction and massive detentions\u201d at the university and urged the state to \u201cguarantee the integrity and due process of all people.\u201d
\nThe university issued a news release saying the police raid took place after protesters \u201cassaulted\u201d security personnel.
\nCusco, where Machu Picchu is located, has been the site of some of the most intense clashes, leading to significant loss of tourism revenue. The Cusco airport was briefly shut down this week after protesters tired to storm it.
\nTrain service to Machu Picchu has been closed since Thursday due to damage to the tracks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LIMA Peru indefinitely shut the famed ancient ruins of Machu Picchu on Saturday in the latest sign that anti-government protests that began last month are increasingly engulfing the South American country. The Culture Ministry said it had closed the country\u2019s most famous tourist attraction as well as the Inca Trail leading up to the site […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":309262,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-309240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n