Airport in Peru’s tourist hub Cusco closes again amid protests

(Reuters) – The international airport in Peru’s southern Andean city of Cusco closed on Thursday, the transportation ministry said, as anti-government protests escalated across the region.

Cusco, once the capital of the Inca empire, is the gateway to the mountain-top royal retreat of Machu Picchu, one of the world’s most visited archeological sites.

“This action is being taken to safeguard peoples’ wellbeing and the safety of aeronautical operations,” the ministry said in a statement.

Protests also forced the airport to ground flights for several days last month.

Several airports in Peru have been the target of protests, which erupted in early December after the removal of President Pedro Castillo.

(Reporting by Brendan O’Boyle; Editing by Sandra Maler)