Mexico finally manages to sell unwanted luxury presidential jet

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has finally gotten rid of the luxury presidential jet that he once called an 'insult' to the commoners of the country. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been sold to the government of Tajikistan.

Lopez Obrador announced the sale late on Thursday night, saying the Central Asian nation bought the plane for $92 million. The sale finally draws curtains on a political saga where Obrador repeatedly used the plane to point out the excesses of his predecessors.

“It’s important that everyone knows how people thought before, how the authorities acted, like little pharaohs,” Obrador was quoted as saying by Reuters.

“Not any more. I would have felt shame, I say it sincerely, to use this plane,” he added.

Obrador,popularly known as Amlo stated that the proceeds from the sale will be used to build two hospitals in the poor and impoverished regions of the country.

Last year, he announcedthat the jet will be made available to rent for birthdays, wedding parties and other celebrations to earn revenue.

In September 2020, Lopez Obrador's government held a symbolic raffle aimed at raising funds roughly equivalent to the plane's value.

Obrador's vow to sell the jet

Obrador, a leftist crusader had vowed to get rid of the 'white elephant' during his 2018 election campaigning trail. At the time, he said even Donald Trump did not have a plane like that.

After coming to power, Obrador made the selling of the jet a centrepiece of his austerity programme. However, for over three years, nobody came forward to buy it.

Obrador's desperation could be gauged from the brochure he had drawn up to pitch the jet to prospective clients.

“You, you biggest producers, your elite sales team, your most prized associates can now enjoy a reserved flight experience until now only available to heads of state,” the brochure read, adding the plane has “incomparable VIP capacity”.

And indeed the jet had 'incomparable' facilities. Used by Obrador's predecessor Enrique Peña Nieto, the Dreamliner is customised with an executive bedroom, private bath and seating for 80 people. However, it was originally purchased for $218 million during former president Felipe Calderon's 2006-2012 term in office.

(With inputs from agencies)

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