Hailed as one of the New Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu is among the most respected places on Earth. Sadly, some people do not see it that way. Six travellers face up to 4 years in jail following the discovery of faeces in a temple at Machu Picchu on Sunday. According to France 24, the tourists from Argentina, Chile, France and Brazil entered a restricted area of Temple of the Sun, a sacred temple at the iconic Machu Picchu sanctuary. Following the discovery of faeces and pieces of a stone wall were broken, park rangers apprehended the tourists.
The group was accused of “damaging Peru’s cultural heritage”. CNN reported that Darwin Baca León, mayor of the Machupicchu District, which contains the iconic Machu Picchu site, told reporters the accused had "attacked" the local heritage.The tourists were detained and currently under investigation. The Sun revealed that if they were to be found guilty, they could face around 4 years of jail time.
Not the first time
A trend that saw people getting naked at Machu Picchu all in the name of social media surfaced from 2014. It caused quite an uproar among local authorities. Two years later, a British tourist was arrested for posing naked at the tourist hotspot in 2016. The Sun reported that he and his friend were charged with moral misconduct.
Machu Picchu is situated in the southern region of Cusco and named a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1983. It has secured its spot as a must-visit destination.