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How many raffle tickets of the presidential plane will entrepreneurs buy? 2:47
(CNN Spanish) - There has been a lot of talk about presidential airplanes in Latin America lately. The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, promised in campaign that he would sell the presidential plane and that he would travel on commercial flights. Although the latter is true, selling the plane has been complicated and AMLO opted for the option of making a raffle in which the aircraft will not be delivered (more details here).
On the other hand, in Colombia there is a controversy because on February 7 the official plane of President Iván Duque was used to take a group of minors in the company of their respective mothers for the birthday of a president's daughter. (You can read everything about the case here)
How are the airplanes that transport the presidents in the region?
Guatemala, El Salvador, and Puerto Rico do not have a presidential plane and the presidents (the governor, in the case of Puerto Rico), usually travel on commercial flights and sometimes on private flights.
In other countries there are several.
Argentina
Name: Tango 01
Model: Boeing 757
Price: 67 million dollars
Features: It was bought by Carlos Menem in 1992, but has been deprecated since late 2015.
There are two other smaller airplanes (a Boeing 737 and Lear Jet) also with damage: one is in repair service and the other does not operate the air conditioning, so President Alberto Fernández uses a helicopter for short trips or takes commercial flights (preferably from Aerolineas Argentinas).
Colombia
There are two
Name: FAC 001
Type: Boeing 737-700
Features: It has several modifications for the comfort of the president and his entourage, including a private bathroom and suite. It was acquired during the second term of President Álvaro Uribe Vélez (2006 - 2010)
Value: approximately 40 million dollars.
The FAC01. Photo: Fernando Ramos
Name: FAC 002
Type of aircraft: Fokker F-28
Features: It is for trips of the president to areas of the country with smaller airports and also used by the first lady.
FAC02. Photo: Fernando Ramos
Mexico
Name: José María Morelos y Pavón
Brand: Boeing 787 Dreamliner special configuration with registration TP-01
Cost: 130 million dollars
Features: The latest generation aircraft has a capacity for 80 passengers. And several areas: it has a private rest area for the president, a boardroom, an area reserved for the press that accompanies the president on tours and other amenities.
Ecuador
There are two planes that head the presidential fleet
Brand: Embraer Legacy 600
Features: used for domestic flights
Brand: Dassault Falcon 7X
Features: used for international flights
In 2017, President Lenín Moreno announced as a measure of austerity the sale of one of the two presidential airplanes, but so far a concrete offer has not been formalized, according to the Real Estate Management Service of the Public Sector of Ecuador.
Uruguay
It is a “multipurpose presidential plane,” as the authorities call it. It has 30 years of use.
The presidential plane "multipurpose" of Uruguay.
Brand: Hawker
Cost: 1 million dollars
Features: It was bought in 2018 and can accommodate 8 passengers. In addition to taking the president, he does “patient services, organs transfer, searches and rescue,” according to Minister Jorge Menéndez in 2018.
Bolivia
Brand: Dassault Falcon 900 EX Easy
Cost: $ 38.7 million
Features: It has capacity for 19 people. It was bought in 2010 by the Government of former President Evo Morales. The aircraft had been commissioned by the executives of the Manchester United English club, but they gave up the purchase.
Panama
The presidential plane of Panama.
Brand: Embraer EMB-135 BJ Legacy 600
Year of manufacture: 2008
Cost: $ 22 million
Features: It was bought in 2010 by then President Ricardo Martinelli. He is currently under inspection at a workshop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
This is how the interior of the presidential plane of Panama looks.
Brazil
Name: VC-1
Brand: Airbus A-319
Characteristics: This aircraft has a wingspan of 34.10 meters and a length of 33.84 meters.
Brazilian presidential plane, the VC-1
Name: VH-34 Super Puma
Brand: Airbus AS332 Super Puma
Features: presidential transport helicopter. It has a length of 16.29 meters
VH-34 Super Puma
With information from Fernando Ramos, Gloria Carrasco, Iván Pérez Sarmenti, Marcos Moreno, Darío Klein, Elizabeth González, Ana María Cañizares, Michelle Mendoza, Rafy Rivera, Mario Medrano, Merlin Del Cid.
Presidential plane