President Petro Lands at Airport for Inauguration Ceremony but Does Not Get Off the Plane
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, whose term ends on August 7, surprised the country last Saturday by landing at the still unfinished Tolu Airport, in the Caribbean department of Sucre, for its inauguration, but he did not disembark from the aircraft. This episode is part of a side of the president that the country came to know, related to his particular way of taking part in certain public events.
Although the presidential aircraft remained on the runway at Golfo de Morrosquillo Airport for only 20 minutes, and the head of state never set foot on the ground, the government’s official accounts presented the landing as the delivery of a project that remains unfinished.
The inauguration was intended to mark the completion of part of the airport‘s expansion and modernization works. On the ground, dozens of guests were waiting for the president, including local authorities, government officials, regional leaders, and representatives of the tourism sector. They were all surprised when the plane carrying President Petro took off again.
Petro recorded video of the aircraft’s approach
Journalists at the scene, including reporters from Caracol Radio and Noticias RCN, said the aircraft arrived at around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, that the president remained inside without the aircraft door ever opening, that the engines were never shut down, and that about 20 minutes later the plane took off using part of the new runway.
The presidential agenda included the inauguration of the airport modernization works, which are intended to strengthen connectivity in the department of Sucre and boost tourism in municipalities such as Tolu and Coveñas.
Before landing, President Petro recorded a video of his plane’s approach to Tolu Airport and posted it with the message: “I am landing in the presidential aircraft on the Tolu airport runway built during my administration. What remains is the runway perimeter fencing, which has already been awarded, and the company that will supply the jet fuel, which should be Ecopetrol.”
He later made another reference to the oil company, Colombia’s largest corporation: “But they continue to keep Ecopetrol as a source of private profits,” he wrote, without explaining why he had decided not to get off the plane.
The inauguration ceremony for the Tolu Airport works had been scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and President Petro and the director of Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority, Luis Alfonso Martinez Chimenty, had invited attendees. The invitation described the project as “a decisive step toward connectivity, tourism development, and the economic and social transformation of the region.”
Authorities declare the works inaugurated with the plane’s landing
Although no official or ceremonial inauguration event took place, and despite the fact that the head of state neither appeared in person nor delivered any remarks, the Presidency of the Republic and the Civil Aviation Authority stated on their official X accounts that the landing of the presidential aircraft constituted the official delivery of the works.
According to a message from the Presidency, the landing had only been intended to test the condition of the runway. “Santiago de Tolu, Sucre, now has a dignified and modernized airport. Today, President @petrogustavo landed in the presidential aircraft to test the new runway delivered to the community.”
“With the successful landing of the presidential aircraft, the National Government officially delivered the modernization works of the operations area at Golfo de Morrosquillo Airport,” Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority wrote on X. “This megaproject permanently transforms connectivity for Sucre and the entire Colombian Caribbean.”
The Presidency stated that the modernization of Golfo de Morrosquillo Airport opens new opportunities for tourism, the economy, and the integration of the Caribbean region, and that the investment of more than 136 billion pesos (US$43 million) modernized the air operations infrastructure and expanded the runway to 2,200 meters in length and 45 meters in width.
This will allow the airport to accommodate larger commercial aircraft carrying up to 180 passengers per flight. The region now has the infrastructure needed to connect with more destinations and receive a greater flow of domestic and international visitors.
The newspaper El Colombiano questioned President Petro’s statement that the runway was “built during my administration.” According to the newspaper, although the bidding process and construction of the expansion took place under the current administration, the project is part of an infrastructure initiative that had already been promoted during the government of Ivan Duque, when it was included in the Gulf of Morrosquillo Territorial Pact.
Businessman Emiro Arrazola has argued that the project faces financing difficulties and that the airport is still not ready to receive Airbus A320 aircraft, despite the Civil Aviation Authority’s announcements. According to him, Tolu should have been operating these types of flights for approximately one year.