Tourists stuck in Machu Picchu due to Peru protests airlifted out

Peruvian authorities have airlifted vulnerable stranded tourists from the Inca mountain-top citadel of Machu Picchu to the city of Cusco.

Thousands of visitors and Peruvians were stuck for days in various locations as protesters blocked roads and forced airports to close.

A wave of protests has been sweeping through Peru following the impeachment of President Pedro Castillo.

Congress will vote later today on whether to bring elections forwards.

A month-long state of emergency remains in place but Peruvian authorities appear to have made some headway re-stablishing disrupted transport links.

Officials in the South American country organised helicopters to evacuate tourists considered "vulnerable" from the ancient Inca citadel located at a height of 2,400m in the Andes.

Hundreds had been stuck there for almost a week after the train line which many tourists take to the 15th Century site was cut by protesters placing boulders on the track. Some tourists had to walk along parts of the track before the boulders could be cleared.

On Monday, the airport in Peru's second largest city, Arequipa, reopened. The transport minister said the airports in the cities of Juliaca and Ayacucho would follow suit on Tuesday, while that in Cusco, which is used by many tourists visiting Machu Picchu, had reopened on Friday.

The airports had closed after supporters of impeached President Castillo stormed them.

The protesters are demanding that Mr Castillo - who is being held in pre-trial detention as prosecutors investigate him for alleged rebellion - be freed.

They also want a general election to be held as soon as possible.

The current political crisis was triggered by Mr Castillo's attempt on 7 December to dissolve Congress and introduce a state of emergency, before the legislative body could hold an impeachment vote.

The move was denounced as an "attempted coup" by the head of the constitutional court and Mr Castillo was detained as he tried to make his way to the Mexican embassy in Lima to seek political asylum.

In the protests which followed more than 20 people have been killed and more than 600 injured, according to Peru's ombudsman.

Protesters also blockaded the border with Bolivia.

Dina Boluarte, Mr Castillo's former vice-president who was sworn in after he was impeached, wants general elections to be brought forward to December 2023.

Congress voted against bringing the earlier date just a few days ago but is due to hold a fresh vote later on Tuesday.