MANILA — The Filipino tourist stranded in Machu Picchu, Peru due to the closure of the Cusco International Airport amid protests there was safe, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday.

The Philippine Embassy in Santiago successfully contacted the Filipino tourist via phone call, and he "sounded well and in good condition," said DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza.

The official added that the 24-year-old unnamed tourist "plans to continue with his travel in the region as soon as flights to Lima resume."

"Post shared contact details of the Filipino community coordinator in Peru. It will also continue to check on his safety and condition," Daza said.

She also said that Peruvian authorities are now prioritizing the opening of regional airports by Dec. 18.

Hundreds of foreign tourists were stranded Wednesday in Peru's renowned Machu Picchu region after train service was suspended due to violent protests following the ouster and arrest of ex-president Pedro Castillo.

A state of emergency was declared earlier Wednesday as Castillo's supporters have taken to the streets and set up roadblocks countrywide in protests against new President Dina Boluarte that have left seven people dead and 200 injured.

Officials said nearly 800 tourists of varying nationalities had become stranded since Tuesday.

They were stuck in the town at the base of the mountain where Machu Picchu, the most important attraction in Peruvian tourism and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is located.

The train service that connects the famed Incan temple with Cusco, the ancient empire's capital city, is the only way to get to Machu Picchu, about 110 kilometers away.

Trains were suspended Tuesday as Indigenous and agrarian organizations called for an indefinite strike as part of the protests that began Monday in Cusco, with marches, attacks on public spaces, and attempts to take over the city's international airport.

The small town's mayor Darwin Baca called for humanitarian help from the government, seeking helicopters to help evacuate tourists from the United States, Mexico, and Spain.

The country plunged into crisis last week when Castillo tried to dissolve Congress and rule by decree but was quickly impeached by lawmakers and arrested.

The new president, Boluarte, has struggled to quell tensions, and has now called for the next election -- normally due in 2026 -- to be brought forward to December 2023, after an earlier bid to hold them in 2024 failed to halt the protests.

• Ousted Peru president ordered detained for 18 months amid protests

—with a report from Agence France-Presse