The Peruvian government opened the Machu Picchu trains

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(CNN) — Hundreds of tourists who were held hostage in the ancient city of Machu Picchu are being evacuated as Peru declares a state of emergency following the ousting of the country’s president.

Train services and airports are now reopening following disruptions and closures last week.

Civil unrest swept Peru earlier this month when former President Pedro Castillo was ousted and arrested, and his ouster accelerated long-running political tensions in the country. Rail and air transport services were disrupted as protesters stormed airports.

Peru Rail, the operator of Peru’s railways for the southern and southeastern regions of the country, said in a statement on Saturday that trains to and from Machu Picchu are resuming emergency operations.

A train carrying stranded tourists arrives in Ollantaytambo, Peru on December 17.

Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images

“To this end, we are coordinating with the Machu Picchu Municipality to ensure proper boarding of people on these trains, giving priority to the elderly, those with health problems and families with children,” the statement said.

Trains to and from Machu Picchu were halted on Tuesday along the UNESCO World Heritage site’s main routes, and Peru Rail said in a statement that it “regrets the interruption of services due to circumstances beyond our company’s control.” “

Peru Rail also said the evacuees would be taken by bus from the community of Piscakucho to the city of Cuzco, where the Alejandro Velasco Estate International Airport (CUZ) is located.

Airports continue to operate.

Peru’s transport ministry said on Friday that Machu Picchu’s airport in Cuzco, 75km away, had resumed operations after being temporarily suspended due to protests across the country.

“Passengers who need to move during restricted hours can use their travel tickets as a form of safe conduct,” the ministry said.

Other airports in Peru were also affected by the unrest but have since reopened.

On Monday, Peru’s Ministry of Transport and Communications announced on Twitter that the first flight from Arequipa’s Alfredo Rodríquez Balón International Airport – Peru’s largest airport in the south – will start at 6:15am.

The Inca Manco Capac International Airport in Juliaca is expected to start operations on Tuesday, the ministry announced.

Unexpectedly blocked

Machu Picchu Mayor Darwin Baca said about 300 tourists from all over the world, including Peruvians, South Americans, Americans and Europeans.

Baca told CNN on Friday that he had called for helicopter flights to evacuate the tourists after the demonstration disrupted trains and flights.

Tourists go through Chilca, which is near Machu Picchu.

Alejandra Orozco/Reuters

Castillo’s ouster has sparked protests in cities across the country, sometimes clashing with Peruvian security forces. Some are protesting in support of Castillo, while others are calling for new general elections across the country and the dissolution of Congress.

Machu Picchu’s municipal district said in a statement Friday that it expects to keep tourists out until Saturday as tensions rise across the country. At least 20 people died in the political rally.

The evacuation effort is a collaboration between the mayor of Machu Picchu and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Culture and the Machu Picchu District Municipality.

Warnings from international governments

The UK Embassy in Peru’s capital, Lima, has advised British citizens to register with local authorities on the platform “iPeru” via an online form and at the Avenida Pachcutic Cultural Centre.

The U.S. State Department has issued a travel advisory for citizens traveling to Peru, listing the destination as a level three “reconsider travel.” The State Department requires travelers in Peru to register for STEP alerts with the US Embassy if they have not already done so.

In his speech on Sunday, Pope Francis called for peace in Peru.

“We pray for peace in Peru, for the violence in the country to stop and for the dialogue to overcome the political and social crisis affecting the people.”

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