Brazilian tourist trapped in Peru: 'Desperate situation'

When the President of Peru, Martín Vizcarra , banned people from entering and leaving the country on Sunday 15, as part of the emergency measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic that will remain in force for 15 days, he left more than 3,700 Brazilians without having the means to return to the country. Brazil. “The situation is desperate. Today we don't have any more money to have lunch because our Peruvian soles have run out and are no longer issuing cards, ”reported VEJA Kati Pinheiro, a designer who has been in Cusco with her husband since March 9 and who left her children in Porto Alegre (RS) ).

The couple had a flight scheduled for Monday 16 to return to Brazil, which was canceled to comply with the government's determination the day before. The Pinheiro also negotiated the stay in the hotel where they were staying for half the regular daily rate. But Kati acknowledges that not all tourists have been so lucky. “There are hotels closing and putting guests out. Then the police chase people off the street. Where should we go? ”

The government of Peru relies on the army to block the country's main roads and the police to restrict movement within cities to comply with the rule of social isolation. “It seems that I am living in a dictatorship”, completes the designer.

Brazilian tourists complain that they are not receiving enough support from the embassy and consulates. Peru on Tuesday authorized the withdrawal of foreigners from the island, but they will only be able to leave the country through repatriation. Itamaraty informs that it is negotiating with the airlines to resume sufficient flights to bring them back.

“The information reaches us incomplete. After Peru's announcement, Latam made flights available. We bought a ticket for $ 900, but the flight disappeared a second later. We don't know what to do again, ”says businessman Lucas Magalhães, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais .

He and his friend, who had been staying at a hotel in Cusco since March 6, managed to rent a house through Airbnb after the declaration of a state of emergency. The two would start a trek to Machu Picchu on Monday 16, then make a stopover in the capital Lima to return to Brazil on Sunday, 22.

“Now, everything is closed. We can't go out and we are stocking up on food. Many Brazilians are without accommodation, sleeping at the airport ”, he says.