Follow Up on Cusco's Strike Situation
An update from Andrea Tello, our editor in Cusco:
It's so difficult to follow up on this strike! They
change their mind every 5 minutes! Not much happened on Friday, though
the airport is being secured by 300 policemen since that day.
Saturday and Sunday everything was OK (strikers don't work weekends) and
we were all expecting chaos for today and the rest of the week.
Only last night at 10pm there was an
announcement...apparently, a big sector of the unions finally understood
(finally read the law, I guess) that it is up to them if/where private
investors can build close to archaeological patrimony. If the regional
government decides they don't want private investment there or anywhere, then
that's final! So only at 10pm they decided that airlines could fly
in, trains could run, etc.
Less than 200 people were marching around Cusco today,
followed by 10 policemen and everything seemed just fine...airport was
operating normally and so was ground transportation...until 10am when the
railroad was blocked from Poroy until a bit after Chinchero, so trains couldn't
run from that hour, though some trains were able to run from Ollantaytambo with
police security...I talked to my contacts in Perurail and apparently no trains
are running tomorrow (again, it's not definite)...
This strike started today with the Agriculture Union and the Union of workers in Cusco, tomorrow the Transportation Union and the teachers are expected to march on Wednesday...
More to come... or maybe not.
my dad and i took a bus from puno to sicuani. we were told we could just cross the stikers´ baracade and then catch a taxi to cuzco. crossing the strikers´baracade took 15 hours of walking (2AM-4PM). i would suggest flying if you can.
Posted by: sbs | June 24, 2009 at 08:18 PM
My husband and I were amongst the many tourists unable to leave Cusco on Friday. We went to the airport at 5am. and discovered that our flight to Lima was cancelled. As a result we missed our return flight to Canada on Saturday. We made alternative arrangements- bus to Puno, flight to Lima, - Houston and finally 4 days later we arrived in Toronto. The flight cost us 2000 dollars which our insurance will not cover as it was due to civil unrest. We also missed a day of work.
I have read and understand the issues underlying the strike. Indeed, I feel some sympathy. However, visitors to your country should not be used as a pawn between strikers and the government.
We will not return to Peru in the immediate future nor can I recommend Cusco as a destination to our friends.
Posted by: Breda Higgins | February 26, 2008 at 02:25 PM