San Carlos transport company suspends service in Huancayo after extortion threats

Around 25 drivers of the San Carlos public‑transport firm (ETSA) halted operations on the Chupaca‑Huancayo route on 3 August after unknown individuals left threatening handwritten notes at the company’s main depot in Chongos Bajo. The messages, including the phrase “Pagan o muerte,” demanded payment and warned of violence, prompting drivers to fear for their safety. As a result, about 25 buses remained idle, disrupting a heavily used, low‑cost service that daily carries hundreds of passengers between the two towns.

Company manager Celestino Rutti appealed for increased police protection and an investigation to identify the perpetrators, warning that continued intimidation could force the firm to cease the route entirely. The suspension left commuters without their usual affordable transport, with fares of S/1.50 for urban trips and S/2.50 for the direct Huancayo‑Chupaca journey.