LIMA, Peru — In a move that underscores the fragility of Peru’s ongoing transitional governance, interim President José María Balcázar has announced he will leave a multi-billion dollar decision on a national fighter jet acquisition to the next democratically elected administration, set to take power later this summer following the country’s delayed presidential runoff. The interim head of state shared the decision during an interview with local Peruvian broadcaster RPP on Friday evening, noting that his caretaker government, which took office in February, is scheduled to wrap up its term in July, weeks after the planned June 7 presidential runoff. The final winner of that contest will be sworn into office on July 28. Under the current proposal under consideration, Peru would acquire 24 F-16 Block 70 fighter jets produced by U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin, at a total projected cost of $3.5 billion. The purchase plan was first unveiled by former President Dina Boluarte’s administration in 2024, with financing structured through $2 billion in domestic borrowing allocated for 2025 and an additional $1.5 billion set for 2026. Lockheed Martin was not the only bidder for the contract: Sweden’s Saab and France’s Dassault Aviation also submitted competing proposals for the defense procurement. Balcázar emphasized that a caretaker transitional administration lacks the democratic mandate to commit the country to such a massive long-term financial obligation. “For us to commit such a large sum of money to the incoming government would be a poor practice for a transitional government,” he told RPP, adding that the next elected government will hold “full legitimacy to decide” on whether to move forward with the acquisition. The decision comes amid a chaotic electoral process for Peru, where an initial round of presidential voting held earlier this month failed to produce an outright winner. While vote counting is still ongoing, conservative former congresswoman Keiko Fujimori has secured her place in the June runoff after finishing first among a field of 35 candidates. The race for the second runoff spot remains extremely tight, with vote tabulation expected to take weeks to finalize the second qualifying candidate. The current political transition in Peru marks another chapter of chronic institutional instability in the Andean nation: Balcázar was elected by Peru’s Congress in February to serve as the country’s eighth president in just 10 years. He took power after his predecessor, another interim leader, was removed from office over corruption allegations only four months into his term. This pattern of revolving-door presidencies stems from a deep-seated political crisis rooted in the consistent inability of sitting presidents to secure stable legislative majorities. Peruvian lawmakers have repeatedly relied on a broad interpretation of a constitutional clause surrounding “permanent moral incapacity” to remove sitting presidents from power, contributing to the country’s ongoing governance volatility.
Peru’s interim president defers $3.5 billion fighter jet purchase to the next government
