Without Tango 01, Alberto Fernández spent more than $ 22 million on official trips

November 7, 2020 Alberto Fernandez He climbed the stairs of a Gulfstream G450 registration LV-GTQ, sat down in one of its large seats and buckled up. Fate was Bolivia and the objective of the trip, to participate in the investiture of President-elect Luis Arce. The transfer of the president to the neighboring country – round trip – had a cost of $ 4,128,250, according to official figures consulted TN.com.ar. The flight joins two others that the Casa Rosada rented during the pandemic for the transfer of the head of state abroad for official visits.

// While spending over $ 20 million to maintain Tango 01, government contracts private flights

In addition to Bolivia, the president visited this year Chile Yes Mexico, destinations also arrived on private flights. For the three services, Casa Rosada paid $ 22,186,825, according to the response to a request for access to public information made by TN.com.ar. The transfers were made by two companies: “Wings of the End of the World SRL“Y”Aeronautical services and companies“. Both firms are owned by businessmen who were in the crosshairs of justice in two cases that closely affected the former vice president. Beloved Boudou and the former governor and current ambassador to Brazil Daniel Scioli.

Hiring these services opens an unknown question: why the government is not using the Learjet 60 of the air fleet of the Presidency of the Nation, which is in “airworthy state”, as this media has learned through another request for access to public information. Aeronautical sources assure that the ship could be used for short flights abroad (as in the case of Bolivia and Mexico), although the transfer would be less pleasant and cumbersome since it would be necessary to make a refueling stopover.

At Casa Rosada, they argued that while the Learjet 60 is safe, “it is not the most suitable” for international travel due to its inability to gain high altitude. As told TN.com.ar last February, the Tango 01 It is also not airworthy, and in fact its annual maintenance requires $ 20,790,000.

The same aeronautical sources indicated that amounts paid for transfers abroad They’re right at the market. “He didn’t pay an excessive price, that’s what the companies are quoting”, they provided this medium. As this media has learned, in this class of contracts, in which the government requires the service with little notice, an economic weighting of at least two quotes is done and one of them is retained.

From Buenos Aires to La Paz: $ 4,128,250

Alberto Fernández’s air transfer to Bolivia was at the head of the company “Alas del fin del mundo SRL”, owned by the game’s businessman Nazarene Christmas. The service had a cost of U $ S 49,000, which at the then exchange rate ($ 84.25) was about $ 4,128,250. The aircraft used was a Gulfstream G450, registration LV-GTQ.

Natale was the subject of a judicial investigation after learning that In 2011, former vice president Amado Boudou used one of the planes of the company for moving from Buenos Aires to Necochea to participate in an event in this city. Both were in the crosshairs for gift crime, but ended up being sacked, as confirmed TN.com.ar based on judicial sources.

Alas del fin del mundo SRL was also used by the former president Mauricio Macri during his trips to Bogotá, Colombia, on August 7, 2018 and during a trip to Cordoba, in March 2019.

To Santiago de Chile: $ 3,018,575

At the end of January 2021, Alberto Fernández undertook a trip to Santiago de Chile to organize a series of meetings with his partner Sebastián Piñera.

To cross the mountain range, the Head of State hired the firm “Aeronautical Services and Entrepreneurship” in exchange for US $ 32,900, which, according to the official government’s response, represented approximately $ 3,018,575 for the funds. of State. The transfer was carried out by a registration aircraft GULDSTREAM GV LV-IRQ, the unit which belongs to Lionel Messi and that during a good part of the year it concedes to this company for its exploitation.

The president and chief executive officer of the firm is Gustavo Carmona placeholder image, aeronautical entrepreneur as Justice investigated by private flights that Daniel Scioli carried out between 2014 and 2015 during the presidential campaign and other personal transfers. Everyone they were paid with public funds, instead of using the provincial aircraft. Carmona, moreover, would over time have become a trusted man of the former governor of Buenos Aires.

This firm was also hired by Macri during his years as president: on March 5, 2018 during a trip to Corrientes; in January 2019 in Puerto Madryn; in May of this year in Neuquén; in New York, the United States, in September 2019 and in Madrid, towards the end of 2019, when she had already lost the elections to Alberto Fernández.

The case was ultimately closed because prosecutor Álvaro Garganta was unable to verify payment for the returns.

The flight to Mexico, a trip worth more than $ 15 million

The reason: to celebrate 200 years of Mexican independence. The cost: $ 15,040,000. This is the final price of the private flight that Alberto Fernández took to Mexico City.

The air transfer was again the responsibility of “Servicios y Emprendimientos Aeronáuticos SA” in exchange for US $ 160,000, which at the exchange rate of $ 94 represented more than $ 15 million. On this occasion, Messi’s plane was used again, which Carmona blew up during the year.

Only three people traveled with the President: his wife Fabiola Yáñez; Presidential Secretary General Julio Vitobello and Presidential Spokesman Juan Pablo Biondi Scotto.