Anti-government protests have left thousands of tourists stranded in Cusco, Peru.

The ex-president Pedro Castillo was ousted earlier this month, and he will be in prison for 18 months before he is tried on rebellion or conspiracy charges.

He denied the allegations and maintained that he is the lawful leader of the country. A public prosecutor said that he could face a maximum of 10 years in prison if convicted.

Dina Boluarte was the nation’s new president. She was elected after Castillo attempted to disband parliament and establish rule by decree until new elections. He was then removed from office by politicians .

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They accused Castillo of “permanent spiritual incapacity” during a congress vote.

Castillo’s supporters have protested violently, demanding a new presidential election. Police used tear gas and gunfire in an attempt to stop the unrest. Clashes between protestors and security forces have resulted in the deaths of at least 18 people.

Five Peruvian Airports were closed by protestors. The third largest was Cusco international. This airport serves a variety of tourist destinations, including Machu Picchu (UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Some demonstrators attempted to storm the airport on Monday. This led to many tourists being left stranded. According to reports, it has been reopened for flights.

“There are 5,000 tourists stranded at the city of Cusco. They are waiting in their hotels for flights to resume,” Darwin Baca (mayor of Machu Picchu) told the AFP news agency.

A rail service was suspended on Tuesday leaving 800 tourists in Machu Picchu, at the foothill of the mountain where the Inca citadel is.

According to the La Vanguardia news site, the mayor asked Mexico, the USA, and Spain to evacuate the tourists via helicopter to Cusco.

Around 200 tourists, mostly European and American, have walked along railroad tracks to Machu Picchu to reach Ollantaytambo (20 miles) from Cusco.

The mayor stated that they fear getting to Cusco, then not being allowed to travel to their country. This could become worse.

Although there have been no reports of tourists being attacked, some are concerned about guests being forced into extended stays.

La Vanguardia reported that a Catalonian backpacker claimed that a hostel owner asked 60 tourists to help him barricade his front door with objects and beds in anticipation of looting.

The government of President Boluarte declared a state-of-emergency Wednesday. This granted police special powers and limited freedoms, including the right to assembly.

However, it seems to have had very little impact on stopping protests.

Left-leaning politician Mr Castillo is a former teacher who was also the son of peasant farmers. He narrowly won the election last year under the banner Marxist Free Peru.

Argentina, Bolivia Colombia, Colombia, and Mexico, all have supported a joint declaration declaring Castillo “a victim to undemocratic harassment”.