President Delays F-16 Jet Purchase, Defence and Foreign Ministers Resign, Peru Pays Contract Instalment of Rp 7.9 Trillion

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, LIMA – Peru’s Defence Minister Carlos Díaz and Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela decided to resign on Wednesday (22/4/2026), as a form of their disagreement with President José María Balcázar’s policies. “A strategic decision has been taken in the field of national security that I strongly oppose,” Díaz stated in his announcement. The two ministers’ decision came after Balcázar announced the postponement of the purchase of F-16 Block 70 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin. Last week, Balcázar—the ninth president of Peru in a decade and a left-leaning leader—announced that he would leave the decision on purchasing 24 fighter jets worth $3.5 billion or approximately Rp 60 trillion to the next elected leader. According to Reuters, after the two ministers resigned, the Peruvian government paid the down payment on the F-16 jet purchase contract amounting to $462 million or about Rp 7.9 trillion. The fighter jets are projected to arrive in Lima around 2029 or 2030. The fighter jets have long been a source of controversy in Peru. Critics have questioned whether the purchase is a sign of Peru’s deference to US President Donald John Trump. Balcázar has only been serving as Peru’s president since February 2026. He was elected by Congress to replace the recently impeached president. Balcázar’s term will end in July, after a definitive president is elected.