13:14 | Machu Picchu (Cusco region), Jul. 11.
The
lost gold plaque that confirms Machu Picchu's status as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, which was granted in July 2007, when the New 7 Wonders Foundation organized the worldwide campaign for such selection, has turned up.
The information was confirmed by
Machu Picchu Mayor Elvis La Torre, who on Monday reported the loss of said plaque, as well as a scroll, which was also conferred by the organizers.
"We found the gold plaque an hour ago. It was found on a bookshelf at the General Secretariat (of the Municipality of Machu)," he stated.
La Torre explained that after the municipal personnel found the award, it was reported to the National Police, the Public Ministry, and the promoter of the "Vote for Machu Picchu" campaign, in order to check the authenticity of the plaque.
The mayor affirmed that the problem arose because the above-mentioned awards were not designated as heritage properties by the municipal administration in 2007; therefore, they are not considered property of the Municipality, so their whereabouts were unknown.
As for the scroll, the municipal authority said it has not been found yet, noting that its search will continue with the support of the Police and the Public Ministry.
"The Municipality's Attorney will drive the case to find out who is the responsible person and initiate legal proceedings," he remarked.
On Monday, Machu Picchu's top official claimed that his office only contained a silver plaque and that the above-mentioned objects were not handed over to him when he took office, last January.
Published: 7/11/2023