Peru’s interim president José María Balcázar announced Friday he will defer the decision to purchase 24 fighter jets valued at $3.5 billion to the next government, saying a transitional administration should not commit such a large sum. Balcázar said in an interview with RPP radio that the incoming government will have “full legitimacy to decide” on the purchase, which involves F-16 Block 70 aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
The deferral reflects the instability of Peru’s government: Balcázar is the eighth president in a decade, having taken office in February to replace another interim leader ousted on corruption charges after just four months.
Balcázar’s transitional government is set to end in July, when Peru will swear in a new president elected in a June 7 runoff. Peruvian voters were unable to pick a winner in the country’s April election, with 35 candidates splitting the vote.
The June Runoff
Conservative former congresswoman Keiko Fujimori took first place with a plurality of votes, but the race for the runoff’s second participant stretched into a recount as electoral authorities tallied ballots. The runoff winner will take office July 28, ending Balcázar’s interim mandate.
The Fighter Jet Procurement
When President Dina Boluarte’s government announced plans in 2024 for the $3.5 billion fighter jet purchase, the military had already evaluated bids from Swedish aerospace company Saab and French manufacturer Dassault Aviation alongside the eventual winner, Lockheed Martin. The government allocated $2 billion in domestic borrowing for 2025 and $1.5 billion for 2026 to cover the cost.
Balcázar explained that major defense spending should rest with elected governments, not interim administrations. “For us to commit such a large sum of money to the incoming government would be a poor practice for a transitional government,” he said in his Friday interview with RPP radio.
Presidential Instability
The decision underscores Peru’s political volatility. Congress elected Balcázar in February as the country’s eighth president in a decade, replacing another interim leader who was ousted the previous day over corruption allegations after serving just four months. Lawmakers have repeatedly invoked a constitutional clause on “permanent moral incapacity” to remove sitting presidents, a practice reflecting Peru’s fractured legislature and its inability to sustain stable leadership.