The cultural event “Chavín de Noche”, scheduled for the night of Tuesday, September 15 at the Archaeological Monument of Chavín de Huántarin the province of Huari, Áncash, was finally not carried out after a preventive intervention by the San Marcos Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
The diligence occurred after alerts and questions raised by citizens regarding the installation of infrastructure at the archaeological site. During three verifications carried out on Tuesday, the Public Ministry verified the assembly of metal structures, awnings, screens, a stage and other elements linked to the activity.
Antamina had organized an event for its 25th anniversary inside Chavín de Huántar. Photo: X
The first fiscal intervention was carried out during the morning, ex officio and with the support of the National Police. The provincial prosecutor Lucho Díaz Támara requested information about the corresponding authorizations and urged those responsible to guarantee the protection of the archaeological heritage.
Subsequently, after learning of a complaint filed with the Chavín de Huántar Police Station, a second verification was carried out with the participation of those involved and citizen representatives.
In this procedure, the installed infrastructure was contrasted with the conditions established by the Decentralized Directorate of Culture (DDC) of Áncash. According to the tax information, elements were identified whose permanence within the archaeological area did not have express authorization.
DDC Áncash Directorate of Culture of Áncash authorized Antamina to carry out a commemorative activity for its 25th anniversary at the Chavín de Huántar Archaeological Monument. Photo: diffusion
The Prosecutor’s Office urged the coordinator of the monument and the organizing company to remove or relocate the porch, the platform, the awnings and any other logistical or temporary structure that was not expressly authorized.
Furthermore, it established that the disassembly had to be carried out without drilling, excavation, driving, anchoring, soil removal or any other intervention that could alter the pre-Hispanic structures.
During a third verification, carried out at night, the Prosecutor’s Office verified that the event had been suspended and that the personnel in charge were removing the equipment and installed structures.
The organizing company also formally informed the Áncash DDC that “Chavín de Noche” would not take place and that production and assembly work had been definitively paralyzed.
The activity had been organized by the mining company Antamina as part of the celebrations for its 25 years of operations. Before the tax intervention, the company maintained that it had the viability of the Áncash DDC, granted on September 10, and stated that the structures did not occupy intangible areas or affect the assets.
Antamina had organized an event for its 25th anniversary inside Chavín de Huántar.
Likewise, Antamina pointed out that it was not a large-scale concert, but rather a cultural proposal that included the participation of a Peruvian composer, local musicians and dancers.
Given this, the Professional College of Archaeologists of Peru had questioned the use of archaeological spaces for business activities and asked to know the technical and administrative criteria considered to authorize the activity.
The case gained special attention due to the patrimonial condition of Chavín de Huántar. The monument integrates the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985 and constitutes one of the main archaeological sites in the Áncash region.
