Cusco: Clashes between police and residents block access to land at Chinchero airport

Yesterday protests began in the Chinchero district of Cusco and became violent. The police are still trying to unblock the access roads to the grounds of Chinchero airport and are using tear gas and pellets in this indefinite strike.

The villagers refuse to leave the area until the Minister of Transport and Communications, Nicolás Bustamante, arrives there to meet their demands to be part of the value of Korean airport construction consortia. However, the mayor of the Chinchero district, Hector Cusicuna, explained, in dialogue with RPP that, since yesterday, officials of the Ministry of Transport and Communications have not answered his phone.

“We would like, so that the situation does not worsen, the presence of the Minister of Transport. There is no communication with them, they practically don't want to know anything with us, I think, even though we are calling nobody answers, nobody communicates”, he explained.

VIOLENCE IN CHINCHEROS

The demonstrations began in the early morning of April 5, after warning, the inhabitants of the communities of Yanacona, Ayllupongo and Raqchiayllu, took the access routes to the airport polygon. But, that same night the clashes began, according to the mayor, police officers used tear gas and pellets to clear the area. One villager was injured, he said.

“In the dark, tear gas bombs and even pellets have been fired. I think that the police should anticipate, they should not be provoking when everything is relatively quiet, people are at the accesses, not even in the polygons,” said the authority.

THEY ASK FOR WATER AND DRAINAGE

In addition to demanding to be part of the work, that is to say that they be given work, the Raqchi Ayllu peasant community demands water and drainage in their homes. According to the newspaper Correo, protesters settled in part of the polygon and burned tires and other objects to also claim alleged abuses they have suffered since the beginning of the construction of the future air terminal.

“We understand that this could be understood as an assault on private investment, we do not want to curb investment, but that they are more involved with the peoples, it is a pity that Pedro Castillo has forgotten us and does not want to take care of the problems of deep peoples, they have promised us the immediate execution of basic sanitation, but so far nothing”, one of the protesters is heard saying in a video quoted by the aforementioned newspaper.

They also point out that when they bought the land for the construction of the polygon from them, they mentioned that with that money they had to set up lodges, restaurants, buy freight and transport vehicles to offer their services, and they did so, but to date they have not hired them.

“They told us that with the money we receive they buy lodgings, yellow line vans, white line, equip themselves with restaurants, dining room, laundry, which is why the population invests to provide these services and benefit and unfortunately Consorcio Chinchero filled up with its workers and now it is no longer the case,” said another villager.

The community members ask for the presence of Prime Minister Aníbal Torres and representatives of the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) and again of Minister Nicolás Bustamante. A contingent of the National Police arrived to the scene to ensure order and prevent further demonstrations, as members of the communities applied violence that has been prevented with tear gas and pellets again.

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