The Ministry of Culture of Peru removed ten makeshift buildings on Apr. 8 that had been illegally constructed in two areas within the protected Tres Marías Archaeological Site, located in the Ricardo Palma district of Huarochirí province, Lima department.
This action addresses concerns about damage to cultural heritage and highlights ongoing efforts to protect ancient sites. Specialists from the ministry inspected the affected area and will determine appropriate sanctions for those responsible for the unauthorized occupation.
According to a statement, “This extrajudicial recovery confirms the permanent attention and rapid reaction of the Ministry of Culture, facing attacks against cultural heritage, in coordination with the National Police of Peru.” The operation involved professionals from the Directorate of Control and Supervision, part of the General Directorate for Defense of Cultural Heritage, as well as legal representatives from the ministry and local police officers.
Tres Marías is situated on a hillside near where the Rímac and Santa Eulalia rivers meet. It features a row of quadrangular structures believed to have served as agricultural storage during pre-Hispanic times in what is known as the Late Horizon period (1470–1532 AD). The site was declared National Cultural Heritage in June 2009.
The ministry called on citizens to help protect cultural assets by reporting any acts or individuals threatening these resources: “We urge citizens to actively collaborate in defending our legacy by reporting any act or person—natural or legal—that threatens our movable or immovable cultural goods, archaeological or historical, which are protected under Peru’s General Law on Cultural Heritage.” Reporting channels include telephone and WhatsApp at 976 066 977, email atenciondedenuncias@cultura.gob.pe, and an online platform at http://denunciaspc.cultura.gob.pe/.
The Ministry fosters social inclusion by protecting heritage and promoting diversity across Peru according to its official website. It utilizes decentralized facilities and museums alongside its San Borja headquarters to support programs according to its official website. As an autonomous entity within Peru’s Executive Branch according to its official website, it promotes cultural identity while combating discrimination through intercultural dialogue according to its official website. The ministry operates under ministerial leadership according to its official website serving communities nationwide according to its official website, overseeing national policy since being established in 2010 according to its official website.
