EARTH, Laniakea Supercluster—In a dramatic turnaround, Peru's Ministry of Culture reversed course on June 9, reinstating full protection to the roughly 2,160 square miles (5,600 km2) surrounding the Nazca Lines. This decision comes after a wave of criticism, both within Peru and internationally, following the government's move to reduce the protected zone less than two weeks prior. The initial decision to shrink the area by roughly 42% sparked immediate condemnation from archaeologists, environmental groups, and global heritage organizations.

Culture Minister Fabricio Valencia announced the reversal, also stating that a technical panel would be formed to create a new management plan for the area within 10 days. The panel will include representatives from the government, academic institutions, UNESCO, and the public. This change in direction could signal a renewed dedication to protecting one of Peru's most iconic and vulnerable cultural sites—though experts caution that the underlying issues remain.

The initial reduction, revealed in late May, would have removed protections from an area equal to about 1,400 soccer fields. Officials had claimed this adjustment aligned the boundaries with areas of confirmed archaeological importance, based on a "two-decade study." Valencia also stated at the time that the change "does not affect the UNESCO World Heritage designation or its buffer zone,” according to the Associated Press.

However, critics viewed the move as a direct threat to both cultural and ecological preservation.

“The reduction not only removes protections—it does so precisely where extractive activity is expanding,” said Mariano Castro, Peru’s former vice minister of environment. He warned the decision could lead to “very serious risks and cumulative damage,” especially in areas with existing or pending mining claims.

Environmental lawyer César Ipenza shared these concerns.

“This is a weakening of both environmental and cultural protections,” Ipenza said. “The state should be upholding its commitments under international agreements, not yielding to private interests.”

Adding to the concern, reports showed that the area removed from the reserve overlapped with territories where 362 small-scale mining operations were registered under the government’s REINFO program. Many of these miners had been operating informally until recently, raising fears that the change would essentially enable the formalization of potentially damaging activities.

The Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, feature over 800 geoglyphs etched into Peru’s southern desert, many depicting animals, geometric shapes, and human-like figures. The site, believed to have been created by the Nazca culture between 500 BCE and 500 CE, is a cultural landmark and a fragile desert ecosystem vulnerable to erosion.

Peru’s Colegio de Arqueólogos (Archaeologists’ Association) criticized the scientific basis for the reduction, arguing the process lacked sufficient rigor and could expose previously unstudied regions of archaeological significance. "They are trying to erase history," said Ana María Cogorno Mendoza, president of the Maria Reiche International Association, referring to the proposed removal of areas believed to contain some of the oldest ritual remnants, according to The Guardian.

Minister Valencia defended the initial policy in an interview with RPP radio, stating:

“Unfortunately, informal mining is an activity present in this area, but the measure we have taken does not mean it will be encouraged, nor that the likelihood of any harm from informal mining will increase. That will not happen.”

However, the ministry did not provide specific details about the scope or location of the mining activity.

While the government’s reversal has calmed public anger for now, analysts warn that the reasons behind the original decision—local economic reliance on resource extraction, rising gold prices, and lax enforcement—still exist. “The local authority is actually the one that has been calling for the reduction,” Ipenza noted, raising concerns that future attempts to shrink the reserve may resurface unless stronger safeguards are put in place.

Some observers are preparing for renewed disputes once the technical panel releases its updated plan. With mining and agricultural interests continuing to grow in Peru’s southern regions, conservation advocates emphasize that a long-term strategy must prioritize enforcement, legal clarity, and protecting the environment.

The Nazca Lines lie roughly 400 kilometers south of Lima and are among the most significant pre-Columbian archaeological sites in the Americas. The vast geoglyphs—some stretching more than 300 meters—remain a source of cultural pride and scientific intrigue. While most researchers believe the figures had ritual or astronomical significance, the scale and visibility of the designs from the air have also fueled decades of speculation and fringe theories.

In recent years, Nazca has also become a focal point in global UFO lore. The most high-profile recently came in September 2023, when Mexican journalist and ufologist Jaime Maussan presented two small “non-human” mummies to Mexico’s Congress, claiming they were found near Nazca. The mummies, which featured elongated skulls and three-fingered hands, were quickly dismissed by Peru’s scientific community. Forensic experts at the country’s Institute of Legal Medicine concluded the remains were fabricated—likely using animal bones, human tissue, and modern adhesives. By early 2024, Peru’s Ministry of Culture had denounced the presentation as a desecration of national heritage.

However, in May a Russian medical expert, Dr. Dmitry V. Galetskii, published a detailed 117-page anatomical study of two alleged Nazca mummies. Based on CT scans, the report concludes that the bodies are “biologically consistent” and not artificially assembled from multiple organisms. The analysis suggests the mummies are genuine mummified beings rather than hoaxes.

Public fascination with the region’s mysteries persists. Supporters of the so-called “ancient astronaut” theory, popularized by authors like Erich von Däniken, argue the geoglyphs were created with guidance from extraterrestrial visitors. Mainstream archaeologists reject these claims, asserting that the Nazca Lines reflect the sophisticated engineering and cosmology of the Nazca people—without needing alien intervention.

So what Happens Now? The technical panel is expected to propose a revised management plan by mid-June and enforcement against informal mining is likely to be stepped up, but will remain a challenge. UNESCO has requested detailed updates from the Peruvian government regarding protections and site monitoring.

Preserving the Nazca Lines requires more than reactive policy shifts. Experts are urging Peru’s leaders to implement a robust legal framework that prioritizes long-term cultural and environmental protection over short-term economic gains. As one of the world’s most visually striking heritage sites, the Nazca desert remains a crucial and contested test of how modern governments balance development with preservation.