The Rural Workers Confederation of La Convención, Yanatile, and Lares, as well as the FARTAC (The Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Agrarian Federation), and a Regional Committee of Struggle, convoked a 48-hour strike beginning yesterday (September 12th) and continuing into today (September 13th). The coalition has multiple demands that directly the struggle against corruption and affect tourism.
Their concerns include.
- An increase in cost of electricity
- Defence of archeological sites
- The problem of gas in the Camisea area
- The tourist canon, (tax payment to municipalities)
- The fight against corruption in the region of Cusco
- Annulling the concession to CONSETTUR (a monopoly of bus traffic to Machu Picchu)
- Construction of the International Airport in Chinchero
- Respect for the law of Prior Consultation with communities and affected parties.
- Immediately finish regional public Works without delay
- No increase in fares on urban public transport
- Reorganise SUNARP (The Superintendancy of Public Registries)
- Stopping the execution of the hydroelectric project of Salcca Pucara
Today, the entire city of Urubamba is on strike. There is no access by any means for tourism to places beyond Urubamba, either to Machu Picchu or from there to Cusco. All the access roads to Ollantaytambo are blocked and closed.
More than 1700 police officers are keeping an eye on the strike in Urubamba, Calca, and La Convención province. The population indicates that if the situation is not resolved they will hve to take the site of Machu Picchu.
In the city of Cusco mobilizations are also being carried out but they are not as overwhelming as in Urubamba. In the city people are not heeding the call to strike as completely as they are in Urubamba and La Convención.
Tourists and other visitors may need to make changes in their plans.
