Peru: Protests to shut down Machu Picchu?

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In Peru, there is worry that the tourist rush to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu could be derailed.

Activists in Peru have been threatening to block access to the historic site and the airport in nearby Cuzco as a protest against a new law that would allow increased development near Peru’s archaeological zones. The rhetoric has gotten nasty and has been front-page news in Peru. Machu Picchu is the country’s premier attraction, recently voted one of the world’s seven wonders in a private contest. The cloud-shrouded Inca redoubt has become a massive cash cow, attracting visitors from across the globe. Many fear that tourists are trampling the place to death.

But whether the current controversy is really a case of development versus conservation is a matter of opinion. Protesters say they don’t want the national patrimony sold out to foreign investors. But some see a political maneuver aimed at undercutting the centrist government in Lima, which has been at loggerheads with left-leaning regional authorities in Cuzco and elsewhere. Cabinet chief Jorge del Castillo blamed the problem on ‘a group of communists’ and other militants. Authorities have bolstered police at Cuzco’s airport and elsewhere in the region. Some travel agencies were said to be contemplating diverting visitors. But as of late Friday, it appeared that cooler heads might prevail and the region would not be paralyzed, reports Peru 21 newspaper.

-- Patrick J. McDonnell in Lima