Peru’s government made a $462 million payment to US defense contractor Lockheed Martin on April 22 for purchase of â12 F-16 fighter jets, the first installment in a controversial multi-billion-dollar deal that triggered the resignation of two top ministers earlier in the day. Defense Minister Carlos DĂaz and Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela cited their opposition to interim President JosĂ© BalcĂĄzar’s attempt to delay the deal.
The payment came days after a $2 billion contract for 12 F-16s was signed by an official in Peru’s Air Forceâover the head of BalcĂĄzar, who was informed of finalization of the deal only after the fact.
In fact, hours before a ceremonial signing April 17, BalcĂĄzar announced in a radio interview that the next president should decide on the deal, saying his interim government lacked the authority to make such a large outlay. In early March, BalcĂĄzar had signed a decree designating the project a “military secret,” limiting public information about government negotiations for the deal.
In a lengthy post after the signing, the US Embassy said that on April 14 “Lockheed Martin was informed in writing of its selection, with a technical signing scheduled for 7:00am and a ceremonial signing for 5:00pm on April 17.” The USÂ ambassador, Bernie Navarro, accused BalcĂĄzar of “bad faith” in announcing the postponement, and warned that Washington would use “every available tool” to promote its interests. The “technical signing” finally took place on April 20.
Peru has âspent years negotiating with different companies to modernize its aging fleet of Mirage 2000 and MiGâ29 fighters acquired in the 1980s and 1990s. The Air Force says it is looking to eventually acquire a total of 24 jets from Lockheed.
The imbroglio has yet further divided Peru’s already rancorous political class, and especially raised suspicions of US intentions. “It’s extortion,” Jorge Nieto, a centrist presidential candidate and former defense minister, said in a TV interview. “If we don’t play our cards right, we run the risk of turning from a country into a territory.” (NYT, BreakingDefense, Reuters)
Results still have not been finalized for the hotly contested presidential election, which took place on April 12. Police in Lima on April 24 raided the home of Piero Corvetto, former head of the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE), as part of a judicial warrant in an investigation of electoral irregularities. (Al Jazeera)
Photo: Wikipedia
