Peru's Ministry of Culture restored the original protected area of the Nasca Lines and Geoglyphs after widespread public outcry, reversing a previous decision that had reduced the area. The original perimeter plan of 5,633.47 square kilometers remains in effect, as confirmed by the Ministry, according to Reuters.
The Ministry announced that it annulled Viceministerial Resolution No. 128-2025, which had earlier reduced the protected area of the archaeological reserve of the Nasca Lines and geoglyphs. This reversal came in response to criticism from specialists, citizen collectives, and heritage defense organizations.
The decision to reduce the protected area had sparked concerns over illegal mining and agricultural encroachment. Critics denounced that the previous cut favored alleged interests of extractive activities, leaving areas exposed to threats that endanger the conservation of the site.
According to La República, the College of Archaeologists of Peru alerted that the reduction not only compromised the integrity of the Nasca Lines but could set a dangerous precedent for other heritage sites, such as Caral or even Machu Picchu.
In response to the backlash, the Ministry of Culture stated that it would promote the creation and implementation of the Nasca Executing Unit, intended to assume the comprehensive management of the archaeological reserve. "The Nasca Executing Unit will be responsible for the comprehensive management of the archaeological reserve of the Nasca Lines and geoglyphs," the Ministry said.
Furthermore, the Ministry ordered "the start of the process to update the management plan called Management System for the Cultural Heritage of the Territory of Nasca and Palpa, within a period not exceeding 10 days." This update process would include the formation of a multisectoral technical table that would allow "an open, rigorous, scientific, and plural discussion."
A technical panel composed of government representatives, archaeologists, academics, and members of international organizations, including UNESCO, would work together to build consensus on a future proposal for zoning and land use in the area.
The Ministry stated that "technical studies related to the area under management will be published, in strict compliance with the principles of transparency."
In late May, the protected area was cut back to 3,200 square kilometers, a decision based on studies that had more precisely demarcated areas with "real patrimonial value." This move, however, was met with strong opposition from various sectors who viewed it as detrimental to the site's integrity.
Eyne Omar Bendezú De La Cruz, an archaeologist and director of the School of Archaeology at the National University San Luis Gonzaga, expressed his concern about the recent intention to cut the protected area in Nasca. "As I am from the area, I am very concerned about what has happened. The original polygon not only protects the geoglyphs but also other archaeological sites that were within that limit. That delimitation allows, at least in theory, broader protection," he told La República.
Bendezú, along with a team of 20 students, recently identified 29 new geoglyphs in the districts of El Ingenio and Changuillo in the province of Nasca, Ica. "The discovery of these new geoglyphs in El Ingenio and Changuillo is a contribution to Peruvian archaeology," he said. This discovery reinforced the need to strengthen the comprehensive protection of the site, which still holds many secrets to be uncovered.
The College of Archaeologists of Peru believed that the only way to generate real policies of protection, recovery, and enhancement was to create an executing unit dedicated exclusively to the geoglyphs. They had requested meetings with the Culture Commission of Congress and with President Dina Boluarte to address these concerns.
The government abandoned the plan after criticism that the change made the Nasca Lines vulnerable to the impact of informal mining operations. The Nazca region, located roughly 400 kilometers south of Lima, contains hundreds of pre-Hispanic artifacts. Peruvian authorities previously conducted operations against illegal mining in the Nasca area.
The Nazca plateau is famous for the Nasca Lines, where over 800 giant desert etchings of animals, plants, and geometric figures were created more than 1,500 years ago. UNESCO declared the Nasca Lines a World Heritage site in 1994.
According to figures from the Peruvian Ministry of Energy and Mines, 362 small-scale gold miners operated in the Nasca district under a program to regularize their status. Vandalism, illegal excavation, urban invasions, and the advance of informal mining are constant threats to the preservation of the site.
The Ministry of Culture concluded its message by reiterating its "vocation for dialogue and its firm commitment to the defense of our cultural legacy."
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