politics
March 24, 2026
Clash over military accident: Petro claims about "junk" plane and Duque defends "structural review"
The air accident of a Hercules plane of the Air Force in Putumayo, which has left 68 dead and 57 injured, has also generated confrontations between the current president and the former president.
TL;DR
- President Petro referred to the donated C-130H Hercules aircraft as "junk gifts," questioning its safety and cost-effectiveness.
- Petro initially suggested the Duque government had purchased the "junk" plane and questioned the contractor and former officials.
- Former President Duque countered that the plane was donated by the US and defended his government's "rigorous work" with the Air Force.
- Duque accused Petro of being "mean and lacking intelligence" and playing politics with tragedies, urging him to respect victims.
- The C-130H Hercules, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, had 43 years of service and underwent a Major Maintenance Process (PMA) in 2021 under Duque's government.
- The maintenance cost was 11.558 billion pesos, and the plane was received by the Petro government in December 2023.
- Journalist Melquisedec Torres questioned Petro about the maintenance, investment, and continued operation of the plane.
- The accident resulted in 68 deaths and 57 injuries, making it one of the Air Force's most serious recent incidents.