By Marco Aquino and Lucinda Elliott
LIMA, April 22 (Reuters) – Peruvian Defense Minister Carlos Diaz and Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela resigned from their posts on Wednesday, amid interim President Jose Balcazar’s decision to postpone a purchase of F-16 aircraft from the United States.
Balcazar, who leaves office in July, had said the purchase was postponed until the next government takes power.
Peru has spent years negotiating with different firms to modernize its aging fighter jet fleet of Mirage 2000 and MiG‑29 aircraft acquired in the 1980s and 1990s. Peru is looking to eventually acquire a total of 24 jets, but a first deal would be for 12.
LOCKHEED THE MAIN CONTRACTOR
Among the bidders is U.S. firm Lockheed Martin. The U.S. State Department approved the potential sale of F‑16 aircraft and related support to Peru in September, with Lockheed as the principal contractor, alongside General Electric Aerospace and RTX Corp, in a deal valued at an estimated $3.42 billion, the Pentagon said at the time. They are competing with firms from Sweden and France to sell fighter jets to Peru.
Balcazar canceled a signing ceremony last Friday for the acquisition of Lockheed Martin F‑16 jets just hours before it was scheduled to take place, citing concerns over tying the next government to a major defense commitment, a government official told Reuters.
In an apparent response to the decision, U.S. ambassador to Peru Bernie Navarro said within hours that Washington would use “all available tools” against parties that negotiate “in bad faith” with the United States, in a post on X.
The U.S. embassy in Lima did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Peru’s outgoing ministers said despite pushback from the president, contracts were signed on Monday with Lockheed Martin for the purchase of F‑16 fighter jets, adding to confusion surrounding the procurement process.
In an interview with local radio station RPP following his resignation, de Zela said the deal included an initial tranche valued at $2 billion, followed by a second phase worth $1.5 billion. He added that a first payment was scheduled for Wednesday, though he did not disclose the amount.
Diaz, in office since March 17, had been scheduled to appear before Congress’ Defense Committee on Monday to answer questions about the suspension of the signing of a deal.
“A strategic decision has been taken in the area of national security with which I have a fundamental disagreement,” Diaz said in his resignation letter.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino and Lucinda Elliott; editing by Cassandra Garrison, Rod Nickel)
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