Three American Tourists Arrested in Peru Protests

Three American tourists who officials accuse of joining recent street protests have been arrested and Peruvian officials are investigating to determine if they will be expelled from the country.

The three, identified as Hans Michael Kulln Mader, 21; Heather Margot Meyer, 21, and Amelia Sarah Woodsidee, 22, joined the protest of workers of the General Confederation of Workers of Peru (CGTP) in Puno. Authorities later arrested them at the hotel where they were staying.

For the past few days, thousands of people have joined marches and strikes across Peru called by the country's leftist labor unions in protest at rising prices and the government's free-market policies saying the government has not spread the wealth from an economic boom.

Officials said one of the girls was carrying a poster during the Puno march which read "Peru moves to the abyss" as well as a caricature of President Alan García with an offensive phrase. In addition, the group also had banners associated with the march in their lodgings.

One of the group told authorities they had participated in the marches "for fun."