Pinoy backpacker stranded in Peru found

Following the protests in Peru that have turned violent, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has located the lone Filipino tourist stranded at Machu Picchu, the country’s top tourist destination. The 24-year-old male backpacker was stranded at the Unesco world heritage site due to the closure of the Cusco international airport, the DFA said in a statement on Friday. The Philippine Embassy in Santiago, Chile, was able to contact him and said “he sounded well and in good condition.” “He said he plans to continue with his travel in the region as soon as flights to Lima resume,” the DFA said. The Machu Picchu ruins are remnants of the Inca Empire dating far back to the 15th century. There are over 160 Filipinos working and residing in Peru, according to the DFA. Due to the escalating tensions in the country, Peru’s government has declared a new 30-day state of emergency. —Jacob Lazaro