The company Leonardo Helicopters officially notified the Colombian Aerospace Force that it will temporarily suspend all technical support for the presidential helicopter, the FAC 0008, due to the effects generated by the inclusion of President Gustavo Petro on the Clinton List or OFAC list, administered by the United States Department of the Treasury.

The company explained that, as long as it does not have the special license required by Washington to operate with entities related to the president, it will not be able to continue with maintenance work.

The communication was sent to Lieutenant Colonel Erwin Sierra, commander of the CATAM Technical Group, in which the Italian firm expressed its gratitude for the cooperation with Colombia, but warned that US regulations require the suspension of any activity until authorization is obtained. The process, the company noted, is already underway before the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

The FAC 0008, an AgustaWestland AW139 acquired during the Iván Duque government for around $12 million dollars, is one of the main means of presidential transportation.

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Its executive equipment and autonomy make it a key aircraft for the travel of the head of state and his close team.

This is not the first direct repercussion after the president’s inclusion in the Clinton List. During the recent tour of Arab countries, the presidential plane faced international blockades: it was denied fuel supplies until the Spanish Government intervened. Petro described that episode as “a humiliation,” evidencing how the restrictions affect official mobility.

The Colombian Foreign Ministry, for its part, has already sent a verbal note to the United States Government asking for explanations and requesting the exclusion of the president and his family from the Clinton list.

Being included on the OFAC List implies freezing of assets, financial blocking and limitations on carrying out international transactions.

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