MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippine Embassy in Santiago, Chile is monitoring the political and security situation in Peru amid continued protests in Lima, Arequipa and Cusco.
The foreign service post holds jurisdiction over Filipinos residing in Chile, Ecuador and Pile. According to the DFA, there are some 160 overseas Filipinos working and residing in Peru.
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“The embassy is constantly monitoring the situation and will officially reach out to Peruvian authorities on the same,” the Embassy in Chile said in its advisory.
The DFA said the advisory is also being circulated by the Filipino community coordinator.
Peru has just declared a 30-day nationwide state of emergency due to “acts of vandalism and violence, road blocks” following protests against the ouster of ex-president Pedro Castillo. Violent protests have so far left 7 dead and 200 injured, while officials are saying around 800 tourists have been stranded.
The DFA said the foreign service post in Chile is investigating unconfirmed reports of a number of Filipino tourists stranded in Machu Picchu following an airport closure in Cusco.
“The embassy also seeks the Filipino community’s support in being immediately informed through its assistance-to-nationals hotline and through the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Lima,” the embassy said in its advisory.
With the ongoing mass demonstrations across Peru, its new president, Dina Boluarte, has struggled to quell tensions and called for the next election, moving it to December 2023 instead of 2026. — Kaycee Valmonte with reports from Agence France-Presse