Nearly 1000 Tourists Trapped Near Machu Picchu, Hundreds More Evacuated

Nearly 1000 tourists were currently stranded near Machu Picchu after a protest of a passenger train forced service to be suspended.

The 15th-century Inca citadel Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracts more than 1.5 million tourists annually.

According to Reuters, PeruRail suspended operations on Monday after the route in Peru's mountainous Cusco region was blocked by protesters using "rocks of various sizes." Buses from neighboring districts were also reportedly paused due to the protests.

1,400 tourists were evacuated after police were able to unblock the tracks, but there were still 900 stranded in Aguas Calientes, tourism Minister Desilu Leon said.

Protests began last week against a new bus company that had been commissioned after a contract with Consettur, the company that shuttles tourists from Aguas Calientes to the Machu Picchu entrance.

Protesters are outraged by the lack of transparency and fairness in replacing Consettur, the outlet reported.

"Peruvian authorities have been evacuating tourists from Machu Picchu Pueblo/Aguas Calientes using land and rail routes, when possible," the U.S. embassy wrote in a statement to American tourists. "Travelers who still seek to visit Machu Picchu during this period despite the protests should be aware that transportation, access to the site, and access to other services may be further limited without prior notice."

Machu Picchu is reportedly at risk of its "credibility" as one of the New 7 Wonders of the world due to overtourism, limited conservation policies and social conflicts, the organization in charge warned.