Lima (AFP)
The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu will reopen on Saturday after five days of closure due to demonstrations by residents of the area against rail services, authorities said.
"Social order having been reestablished in the district of Machu Picchu, from Saturday December 19 entry into the citadel will be possible again," the Culture Department of the regional capital Cuzco indicated in a statement.
The jewel of Peruvian tourism had to close its doors on Monday due to protests by locals affecting the rail service.
The protesters demanded cheaper tickets from the two companies, Inca Rail and Peru Rail, which operate the line and a greater frequency of trains between Cuzco and Machu Picchu.
The train is the only form of transport for tourists visiting the citadel, but it is also widely used by locals.
The protests had started over the past week and had escalated with the occupation of the rails, clashes with police and threats to occupy the citadel.
The citadel, closed for nearly eight months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, reopened in early November.
On December 1, it had increased its capacity by 40%, or 1,116 daily visitors, entry being free until December 31.
Before the pandemic, between 2,000 and 3,000 people visited Machu Picchu daily, and in high season, up to 5,000.
Built in the 15th century, the citadel of Machu Picchu was inscribed in 1983 as a World Heritage Site by Unesco.
© 2020 AFP