by LINDSAY ROGERS
And Just Like That, Machu Picchu Is Officially Open to Visitors Again
In case you missed it, back in January the famous ruins — in addition to the Inca Trail leading up to the site — were closed to visitors indefinitely, “to protect the safety of tourists and the population in general.” The closure came off the back of reports of an increase in anti-government protests across the country.
The protests are a result of the impeachment and imprisonment of Peru’s first leader with a rural Andean, after he attempted to dissolve Congress. Demonstrators subsequently began calling for the resignation of his replacement, former vice president Boluarte, as well as the dissolution of Congress and a new election.
Now, however, per The Associated Press, agreements have been made between authorities, social groups and the local tourism industry to ensure the security of the site and transport services. That said, the U.S. Department of State is currently still warning against travel to the area, advising Americans to “reconsider travel” to the country and “exercise increased caution due to civil unrest.”
