Under the directive of Argentina’s President Javier Milei, the state-owned oil and gas company, Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales (YPF), is set to sell two of its business jets—a Learjet 60XR and an Embraer Praetor 500. This decision reflects the new administration’s efforts to curb government spending, particularly on assets deemed lavish expenditures used by elite political figures, including former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
Local reports suggest that these jets, previously utilized predominantly by high-ranking officials, represent an unnecessary financial burden on the nation, which is grappling with severe economic challenges. Notably, Fernández de Kirchner’s administration accrued over USD 200,000 in debts to YPF for using these aircraft, according to digital news outlet Todo Noticias (TN).
The Argentinian government initially announced its intention to sell these aircraft in December 2023, aiming to raise between USD 20 and 30 million. However, as of now, the sale has not been completed. The latest operational data from Flightradar24 shows the Learjet 60XR last flew from Rosario Islas Malvinas to Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery on March 19, 2024, and the Praetor 500 took the same route on April 8, 2024.
YPF is reportedly in the process of engaging a third-party to appraise the jets before proceeding to a public tender. Despite these preparations, a search by ch-aviation revealed no current listings on the country’s official tender website for these assets.
This move by YPF underlines the broader economic strategies employed by President Milei’s administration to streamline state expenses and optimize asset utilization amid ongoing financial constraints in Argentina.
