politics
March 25, 2026
'Why do they give us scrap metal?': Petro on the military plane that crashed in Putumayo
Gustavo Petro, president. Photo: Screenshot @infopresidencia
TL;DR
- President Petro criticized the use of a 43-year-old military plane that crashed, resulting in 69 fatalities.
- He argued that older aircraft require more costly maintenance and have a reduced lifespan, especially for troop transport.
- Petro blamed the accident on a "chain of failures" and the progressive deterioration of the Armed Forces.
- He criticized the Congress for not approving a financing law that would have improved the defense sector.
- Petro defended his administration's wealth tax, comparing it to a similar measure under Álvaro Uribe.
- The Minister of Finance noted that the current wealth tax is based on 10 billion pesos, unlike the previous one based on 3 billion pesos.