Can’t sell your presidential plane? Mexico mulls raffle instead

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday floated the idea of raffling off his predecessor’s $130 million jet after the government’s efforts to sell the plane over the past year came to nothing.

Mexico has yet to find a buyer for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which the leftist Lopez Obrador has cast as a symbol of excess and corruption in previous governments in a country where around half the population lives in poverty.

Seeking to paint his predecessors as part of an out-of-touch elite, Lopez Obrador has made a point of taking commercial flights, and has auctioned off many government planes and helicopters.

But selling the luxury jet, acquired by former President Enrique Pena Nieto in 2012, has proven tough. Earlier this week Lopez Obrador said the aircraft would return to Mexico from California after potential sales to private buyers fell through.

One option under consideration is to offload the plane in a raffle, with the national lottery selling six million tickets at about 500 pesos ($26.70) each, Lopez Obrador said.

“The people will decide what’s best,” he told reporters at a regular news conference on Friday.

Later in the day, Transport Minister Javier Jimenez Espriu appeared taken by surprise when consulted about the raffle by a reporter, who asked him whether the idea was feasible.

“No, I don’t think so,” Jimenez Espriu said in a video published on social media by newspaper Reforma. “I think there are other more immediate (options).”

Mexico has already set out several options to dispose of the plane, include selling it to a group of businesses, renting it by the hour, or bartering it for medical equipment.

Lopez Obrador said one prospective buyer this week offered $125 million. But Mexico could not sell it below a United Nations-backed valuation of $130 million, he explained.

The spacious jet, which has been reconfigured to fly only 80 people, has a large “presidential suite” and a private bath.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday floated the idea of raffling off his predecessor’s $130 million jet after the government’s efforts . . .

Follow Us On Google News | Get Our Newsletter



Trending News on PVDN

  • Where do foreigners come from and where do they live in MexicoMexico City Protest on July 5 Challenges Gentrification and Airbnb’s Impact on Housing Residents of Roma and Condesa will gather at Parque México on July 5 to protest gentrification, rising rents, and Airbnb’s effect on local housing. This Saturday, July 5, Mexico City will witness its first organized citizen protest against gentrification—a peaceful but urgent gathering taking place at 3:30 p.m. at the Lindbergh Forum in Parque México,…
  • raw-sewage-playa-los-muertos-puerto-vallartaMore Raw Sewage Dumping at Playa Los Muertos Appear to Come From Local Hotel Business owners in Puerto Vallarta are demanding action after raw sewage was discovered leaking onto Playa Los Muertos, raising public health and tourism concerns. A raw sewage leak at Playa Los Muertos in Puerto Vallarta has sparked outrage among local tourist service providers and business owners, who say the contamination is driving away visitors and…
  • puerto-vallarta-rainfall-hurricane-flossie-july-2025Puerto Vallarta braces for torrential rains as Hurricane Flossie gains strength Puerto Vallarta faces a high risk of flooding as Hurricane Flossie intensifies in the Pacific. Torrential rains and overwhelmed drainage systems pose major challenges for the city. Puerto Vallarta, a city wedged between the Sierra Madre mountains and the Pacific Ocean, is no stranger to dramatic weather shifts—but this summer, the skies are testing the…
  • puerto vallarta lettersPuerto Vallarta needs a new image to create meaningful reasons for travelers to visit Business leaders at Jalisco Tourism Secretariat forums stressed the need for renewing Puerto Vallarta image and diversifying attractions to appeal to national and international markets. Local business leaders and tourism specialists agreed this week that Puerto Vallarta needs a fresh look and a broader range of attractions to compete at home and abroad. In a…
  • José Luis Velázquez RodríguezSEAPAL Official Reported Missing in Puerto Vallarta Authorities in Puerto Vallarta have launched a search for José Luis Velázquez Rodríguez, SEAPAL's head of transparency, who has been missing since June 30. Family and officials are urging the public to report any information. Local authorities and civil protection units have launched a search operation for José Luis Velázquez Rodríguez, head of the Transparency…
  • mexico city real estateGentrification in Mexico City is not the reason for the high cost of housing City housing shortage, not gentrification, drives prices skyward as planning lags behind demand and foreigner influence remains minimal. High real estate costs in Mexico City stem from a deep and persistent housing shortage—exacerbated by land constraints, tangled regulations and speculative investment—rather than by the presence of foreign residents. Despite headlines blaming “gentrification,” foreign-born residents make…
  • no-damage-jalisco-hurricane-flossieNo Damage Reported in Jalisco as Hurricane Flossie Moves Away While Mexico's Weather Service predicted heavy rains, Hurricane Flossie causes no damage along Jalisco’s coast. The Category 3 storm brings light rain and moderate waves as it moves away from the region. The coasts of Jalisco remain calm and largely unaffected following the passage of Hurricane Flossie, a powerful Category 3 storm that is now…
  • hurricane-flossie-strengthens-july-1-2025Hurricane Flossie will bring tropical storm conditions to parts of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco Hurricane Flossie intensifies off Mexico's Pacific coast with winds near 90 mph. Heavy rain, flooding, and tropical storm conditions expected in parts of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco. Hurricane Flossie continued to intensify early Tuesday morning as it moved west-northwestward off the coast of southwestern Mexico, prompting tropical storm warnings and watches across multiple states.…
  • cancun-sargassum-environmental-fund-responseWhich Quintana Roo Beaches Clean From Sargassum and Those Covered Today July 4 2025 Daily sargassum tracking for July 4, 2025: see which Quintana Roo beaches are clear of sargassum and which have landings, with ongoing cleanup efforts keeping the coast visitor-ready. Welcome to the daily sargassum tracker for the Mexican Caribbean coast. Each morning, we tally which beaches in Quintana Roo remain free of sargassum and which have…
  • protestProtest graffiti and smashed windows mars anti-gentrification rally in Mexico City Residents and activists joined an anti-gentrification rally in Mexico Park, but the anti-gentrification rally Mexico Park turned destructive as masked youths defaced local shops and broke windows. A rally against gentrification held yesterday in Mexico City’s Parque México drew residents from Juárez, Roma, Condesa and Hipódromo alongside local activists. Organizers billed it as the city’s…
Scroll to Top