Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday reaffirmed his intention to offer the luxury presidential jet to the winner of a lottery if no one is interested in buying it.
"If no buyer is presented and no bids are submitted, we will implement another plan, it will most likely be offered at the lottery," the Mexican president said during his daily press conference before presenting a draft of the lottery. this unprecedented award.
This theoretical version of the cachito, a popular lottery in Mexico, will be dominated by a photo of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with the caption "first prize, the presidential aircraft", in orange and green letters.
Lopez Obrador had already promised in his election campaign to use the proceeds from the sale of the specially designed aircraft to the public treasury, to help immigrants, or distressed Mexicans.
The president's plan calls for six million lotteries to be sold for 500 pesos (24 euros). The government, he hopes, will be able to collect 2,5 billion pesos (115m euros) in this way.
From the beginning of his term, Lopez Obrador had made it clear that he did not intend to use the presidential aircraft - he lives a modest life and travels by commercial flights - and that he would have it for sale. But no potential buyers have appeared so far.
The specially designed Dreamliner was purchased by former President Felipe Calderon (2012-2018) for $ 218 million. It is currently for sale for $ 130 million to $ 150 million.
The center-left president's plan has caused a stir on social networking sites, with many wondering how the expensive, advanced aircraft will be maintained.
Lopez Obrador promises that the winner of the lottery will have one year of free maintenance guaranteed, at the Santa Lucia military base or Mexico City airport.
Source: politis