By Mildred Caranto / Santiago Times Staff
MACHU PICCHU – A Chilean citizen who had arrived in the city of Cusco in southern Peru as a tourist, was arrested after graffiti in a train car that leads to Machu Picchu.
“Cristobal Andrés Sandoval, a 21-year-old Chilean, was arrested yesterday for making pints on the train wagon of the Inca Rail company,” said Petty Officer David Flores of the Machu Picchu police station.
He was found with several cans of spray paint and faces charges of crime against private property and property damage.
Flores explained that the incident occurred on Tuesday morning at the height of kilometer 110 of the railroad that leads to Machu Picchu, where Sandoval was surprised by a driver of the company Inca Rail, who gave notice to the police.
“His statements determine that I do paint the car. He says he did not know that it was a crime,” commented the officer.
In 2004, two Chilean citizens were arrested for painting Inca walls in Cusco. After six months of their capture they returned to their country – thanks to an extrajudicial agreement with the Peruvian state that included a civil repair of 100,000 dollars.