The Defense Front in Defense of Calca (a province of Cuzco) arrived in the city of Cuzco this morning in a massive mobilization that filled the Plaza de Armas with sounds, signs, bodies, and demands.
Thousands of rural people from Calca traveled to the city in a political pilgrimage, a huge demonstration which just recently left the Plaza for the City’s airport. At the moment they have blocked roads in and out of the Sacred Valley impacting tourism.
Hundreds of vehicles, including tourist vehicles, are stopped and unable to advance or go back given the 48 hour strike.
They demand the technical report on Calca’s Yanatile and Quellouno be annulled and that the neighboring province of La Convencion be denied regional status sine it would include land from Calca.
The protestors brought with them an experience of violent encounters with the people of La Convencion within Yanatile, and coffins of dead protestors from a truck transporting them which fell off the highway and into a canyon. The tragic accident left five dead and 21 wounded. All participated in the mobilization.
The massive strike and demonstration ends today with rallies in Cuzco, the state capital. Paulino Baca, the President of the Committee for Struggle said they will remain tolerant and vigilant for the next ten days while the government studies the situation. If necessary they plan other actions.
