LIMA, Peru — Two cabinet members in Peru submitted their resignations Wednesday after the nation’s temporary president decided to postpone a massive $3.5 billion military aircraft purchase from the United States until after June’s presidential election.
Interim President José María Balcázar announced last week that he would leave the decision about acquiring 24 F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin to whoever wins the upcoming presidential runoff, citing concerns about his authority as a temporary leader.
“For us to commit such a large sum of money to the incoming government would be a poor practice for a transitional government,” Balcázar said at the time.
The delay prompted a sharp response from U.S. Ambassador Bernie Navarro, who warned on social media that he would take unspecified action if Peru “negotiates in bad faith” or undermines American interests.
Defense Minister Carlos Díaz and Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela both left their positions Wednesday over the dispute. According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, Díaz wrote in his resignation that delaying the aircraft purchase “could compromise” Peru’s national interests.
During a press conference, both departing ministers revealed they had attempted without success to convince Balcázar to proceed with the agreement. Díaz disclosed that defense officials went ahead and signed the contract Monday despite the president’s objections, following the terms outlined in the deal.
In a radio interview, de Zela criticized Balcázar for providing misleading information to the public regarding the contract details. Díaz explained that many specifics about the agreement cannot be shared due to their classified status.
The aircraft deal was initially announced in 2024 under former President Dina Boluarte’s administration, with plans to finance the purchase through domestic borrowing — $2 billion in 2025 and $1.5 billion in 2026. Besides Lockheed Martin, Sweden’s Saab and France’s Dassault Aviation also submitted proposals for the contract.
Peru’s legislature selected Balcázar as the country’s eighth president in ten years this past February, replacing another temporary leader who was removed over corruption charges after serving just four months.
The South American nation will hold its presidential runoff election on June 7, though vote counting continues as officials process ballots from distant regions and Peruvian diplomatic posts overseas following the initial voting round on April 12.
