A man who visited the 'most remote city' in the world has shared his experience in what was previously called a 'lawless' settlement.
The South American gold mine town is not a tourist destination due to how unsafe it is in terms of crimes and its high altitude, which can cause unfamiliar people to feel unwell.
La Rinconada in Peru is home to over 30,000 people, according to official figures in 2024, while being an eye-watering 5,100m above sea level.
It's a town that's littered with crime and extreme poverty, which makes the visits of YouTubers Yes Theory and 'Zazza the Italian' that much more impressive.
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The former coined the place as 'the sketchiest place' he'd ever been to, with street fights a regular occurrence in what was 'one of the most intense places' he had visited.
He was even told to stay inside at night as things 'completely change' when the Sun goes down according to security, which sounds very Purge-esque.
The Yes Theory creator was also warned that a man was shot dead nearby before he showed up, while the cameraman's journey to get some B-roll of the city at night was apparently stopped early after someone tried to rob him.
When Zazza travelled to La Rinconada, he made it a point to explore as much of the highest permanent settlement in the world as possible, noting that it was 'hard to breathe' while in the town, along with the freezing temperatures in the Andes.
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"It’s practically an entire, immense slum," he explained to viewers.
Zazza said of his health: "I’m feeling dizzy. We’re over 5,000 meters, and they say that [above] 5,000 meters is no longer suitable for human life.
"But over 50,000 people live here. It’s incredible."
The Italian was accompanied by two police officers as nightfall approached, with the pair claiming of the town: "Everything, armed robbery, assaults. There’s a territorial issue inside the mine, and that’s where they clash, or have disputes over control. They rob pedestrians, steal belongings that workers earn in the mines, then leave and hide."
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Criminals are rarely charged though, as they explained that people are covered with layers of clothes due to the climate, so it's near impossible to identify those responsible.
Zazza said it's 'pretty close' to hell, even passing a sign in a specific area patrolled by private security, which read: "Private property, metallurgical mining cooperative. Shoot-to-kill order, do not stop."
"If you stay at this spot in the late afternoon or evening for too long, a bullet will reach you. Just like that. And they warn you," he explained, believing it was protecting an abandoned gold mine.
Police confirmed that snipers are on standby to take aim if anyone tries to trespass, with an officer chillingly warning: "You can’t enter, you can’t make a mistake."
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The 'shoot-to-kill order' wasn't government-approved, with it instead being sanctioned by the mine owners themselves.
Zazza asked if you could kill someone for stealing, with a police officer quickly replying that 'taking a human life, no matter the reason, is illegal'.
"I wanted to stay at night... But I’m too different, I draw too much attention, even if I dress like this," Zazza said when reflecting on his visit.
He concluded: "They wouldn’t let me enter anywhere, and it would be too dangerous. [But], it’s been an experience I’ll remember all my life."
Topics: Travel, Crime, YouTube, World News
Joshua Nair