politics
March 26, 2026
Government opens internal investigation into Hercules contracts and maintenance: these are the axes of the investigation
In compliance with the order given by President Gustavo Petro during his most recent Council of Ministers, the Secretary of Transparency of the Presidency, Andrés Idárraga, began investigations into the heart of the Government regarding information on the acquisition and maintenance of the Hercules aircraft. This comes 72 hours after the air accident in Putumayo that left 69 uniformed personnel dead and 57 injured.
TL;DR
- The Secretary of Transparency has initiated an investigation into the acquisition and maintenance of Hercules aircraft, as ordered by President Gustavo Petro.
- The investigation follows a recent air accident in Putumayo that resulted in 69 fatalities and 57 injuries.
- The Ministry of Defense and the Colombian Aerospace Force are required to submit detailed reports on the 2018 agreement with the US for the acquisition of three C-130H Hercules aircraft.
- Reports must include terms of the agreement, technical conditions of the aircraft, involved personnel, maintenance records, repair costs, and any audits or inspections conducted.
- The Minister of Defense stated the aircraft, manufactured in 1983, had over 20,000 flight hours available and underwent deep maintenance, with an inspector confirming its airworthiness.
- President Petro described the aircraft as "junk" and "obsolete," suggesting a cover-up attempt to evade responsibility from the previous government.
- The Minister of Defense confirmed the aircraft was within parameters to take off, addressing concerns about potential overloading.
- The investigation aims to identify mechanisms for more transparent public management and effective anti-corruption efforts.