The chancellor, Hugo de Zela, and the Minister of Defense of Peru, Carlos Díaz, resigned this Wednesday, April 22, in rejection of the decision of the acting president, José María Balcázar, to recommend that the next government resolve the purchase of combat aircraft from the United States. However, both the head of Parliament and the Peruvian prime minister later confirmed that the acquisition of the aircraft had already been completed.

First modification: 04/23/2026 - 01:51 Last modification: 04/23/2026 - 01:57

What seemed like a sealed operation for the purchase of American combat aircraft became the seed of the most recent political crisis in Peru.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Hugo de Zela, and Defense, Carlos Díaz, presented their resignations this Wednesday, April 22, in repudiation of the apparent postponement of the purchase of 24 F-16 aircraft of American origin, ordered by the acting president José María Balcázar.

For the interim president, it is up to the future government – ​​which will take office next July – to "know the negotiations" and resolve the operation, which is estimated to be worth $3.5 billion.

However, an hour after Balcázar's message, the president of the Peruvian Congress, Fujimori Fernando Rospigliosi, announced that the Ministry of Economy "is making today the payment committed to the two contracts that were signed on Monday the 20th, for the acquisition of aircraft for the Peruvian Air Force."

Along the same lines, Prime Minister Luis Arroyo also assured that Peru "has been complying" with the stipulated schedule – which called for making a first disbursement of 2,000 million dollars this Wednesday – to continue with the purchase of the planes.

"It is important to have new equipment and strengthen our Armed Forces," he said in a statement.

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Like Rospigliosi, Hugo de Zela also pointed out that the purchase documents had been initialed last Monday and accused Balcázar of telling "a blatant lie" in various interviews he has given since Friday "saying that they have not been signed."

In dialogue with the local media 'RPP', the now former chancellor assured: "The political decision adopted by Balcázar endangers the credibility of the country and makes us become one that cannot be trusted in a negotiation process."

For his part, in his resignation letter, Díaz justified his departure because "a strategic decision has been made regarding national security" with which he "fundamentally" disagrees.

Although he avoided confirming whether the contract was signed last Monday, Balcázar asserted: "No one can say that I have lied" and defended that his government remains "firm in respecting all the agreements that the armed forces have had to carry out the negotiations", but that "those contracts will be respected by the new government."

A purchase inherited from the Jerí management

The purchase of combat aircraft from the American firm Lockheed Martin was approved in February, under the government of deposed president José Jerí, thanks to a budget contemplated in the debt laws for the years 2025 and 2026.

According to what the now former Minister of Defense, Carlos Díaz, told the media 'RPP', Balcázar signed the key decree in March to approve the financing of the operation, for which the interim president now considers it necessary to "act with prudence" because it represents a considerable expense for public accounts.

Although he claims not to have intervened in the negotiations, the Peruvian president stated: "This debt and debt commitment, which comes from Parliament, does not mean that we cannot have an idea of ​​how to renegotiate a contract determined by the Air Force" and that it is a "secret purchase."

Precisely, Rospigliosi indicated that Congress had already approved the necessary credits to finance the acquisition and warned that a failure to comply with the established payments could lead Peru to face contractual penalties, lose the purchase option and see its plan to modernize its Air Force units postponed for years.

For the Fujimori leader in the Legislature, Balcázar considered not supporting the purchase due to "pressure from communist and leftist groups."

With the apparent purchase underway, beyond the disputes and resignations, Peru aims to renew its aging fleet of Mirage 2000 and MiG-29 fighter jets, acquired in the 1980s and 1990s.

To that end, it had been negotiating for years to acquire 24 aircraft, a process in which firms that produced the American F-16 Block 70, the Swedish Gripen and the French Rafale competed.

Finally, the tender was won by the American Lockheed Martin, despite the fact that the initial offer, according to local media, contemplated only 12 of the 24 aircraft.

Possible US retaliation

As reported by a government official to Reuters, Balcázar canceled the signing ceremony with Lockheed Martin last Friday, just a few hours before it was due to take place, which he later justified in various interviews with his concern about the fiscal balance and for committing the next government to defense spending of that magnitude.

That prompted a threatening message in

Since then, the now former foreign minister De Zela claimed to have had several conversations with Navarro, although he acknowledged to 'RPP' that the ambassador was "very confused" and "it is very difficult to explain to him that it is said that (the contracts) have not been signed."

According to the media 'La República', Navarro met this Wednesday with the Prime Minister, Luis Arroyo, who shortly after came out to ratify the purchase of the aircraft.

This episode occurs as the United States is intensifying its campaign to strengthen its influence in Peru, a country with significant copper production that has become a key strategic partner for China, according to business leaders and senior officials.

Last January, the White House named the Andean nation as a major non-NATO ally, a designation that would allow for deeper defense cooperation and expanded access to trade and security programs.

Similarly, the US State Department approved an equipment package aimed at renovating a naval base near the port of Callao.

With EFE, Reuters and local media

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