They sue Argentina in the US for debt for fuel used in the presidential plane

An American firm sued Argentina for failing to pay fuel used by the presidential plane, in expenses that correspond mainly to the period of the government of Alberto Fernandez in 2023, although also at the beginning of the management of his successor, Javier Milei.

Associated Energy Group, with headquarters in Miami (southeast) and subsidiaries in cities such as Houston, Texas (south), noted that Argentina “has substantially and repeatedly failed to comply with its payment obligations for fuel and services provided and invoiced between September 18, 2023 and January 4, 2024,” according to a lawsuit filed last Wednesday in federal court in the southern district of the state of Florida.

According to the document, the firm sued the presidency of Argentina to collect unpaid invoices amounting to more than US$351,000, in addition to procedural expenses, interest and fees.

Associated Energy Group (AEG Fuels) explains that this amount corresponds to services provided to the Argentine presidential plane ARG01 and the ARG03 jet both within the United States (in the states of New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Colorado and Kansas) and in India, South Africa , Panama and Peru.

“AEG has demanded payment of the debt from Argentina on several occasions, but has not received full payment of the amount owed. “Despite AEG’s repeated demands to Argentina, including a demand letter dated February 12, 2024, the defendant has refused to meet all of its payment obligations.”the firm explained in its claim.

The majority amount corresponds to obligations acquired during the last year of administration of the center-left Alberto Fernández (2019-2023).

But also, there are three receipts issued during the first weeks of activity of the ultraliberal government. Javier Mileiwho assumed power on December 10, 2023.

This is a receipt from December 26, 2023 for services to ARG01 amounting to US$68.82, another from January 4 for service to ARG03 of US$1.24 and a fee of US$60 for cancellation or postponement of service to the presidential plane. , also from January 4.

Milei, who is determined to control inflation at 276% year-on-year in February, has undertaken draconian spending adjustments in Argentina to confront a severe economic crisis.

One of them is the decision to stop using the presidential plane and travel abroad on commercial lines with very small delegations. Thus he traveled in his first three months of government to the Davos Forum (Switzerland), to Israel, Italy and the United States.