The Peruvian government announced an air security agreement with the US, aimed at preventing aircraft associated with drug gangs from entering Peru’s airspace.
The agreement renews a bilateral security cooperation pact with the US from 20 years ago, according to an official statement. It will enable new intelligence and training support to be provided to the Peruvian Air Force.
Nonlethal Airspace Interdictions
Peruvian Defence Minister Jorge Chávez emphasized that interdictions under the agreement will be carried out through nonlethal means. An earlier air security pact between the two countries was suspended two decades ago after Peru’s Air Force shot down a plane it had misidentified, killing two US citizens.
Alberto Otárola Peñaranda, President of the Council of Ministers, announced that the agreement will allow the Air Force to receive cooperation from the US in terms of radars, intelligence, financing, communications, maintenance, training, as well as logistical, technical, and administrative support to strengthen actions against illicit drug trafficking.
“With this, Peru will be able to exercise and use non-lethal air interdiction. Drug gangs and cartels are notified. The country will start an intense fight against the entry of illegal planes that violate our sky. We will act without contemplation to intercept them,” he stressed.
Additional Efforts
Otárola highlighted that this understanding is in line with policies announced by President Dina Boluarte to strengthen the fight against drugs. The agreement also signifies the reduction of the coca-growing space, which previous governments left at 100,000 hectares of coca.
The result is a product of intense negotiations led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense, with the participation of the sectors of Transport and Communications and Interior. A special budget will be invested to expand the Command, Control, and Communications Center for Operations (C4) of the National Police, supporting security operations with video surveillance and technology use.
