The Government of El Salvador, led by President Nayib Bukele, has firmly denied claims that a narco-plane recently intercepted in Mexico had departed from Salvadoran territory, demanding an immediate clarification from Mexican authorities.
On July 3, Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, stated that the aircraft seized in Tecomán, Colima—with over 427 kilograms of cocaine—had originated “200 km south of San Salvador.” President Bukele responded swiftly, labeling the statement as false, citing regional radar data and international reports that contradict the claim.
According to President Bukele, Costa Rican authorities were the first to detect a suspicious flight pattern northwest of their territory and activated a regional alert via APAN, a Central American air safety network. The aircraft’s path, confirmed by JIATFS Key West (a U.S. agency monitoring illicit aerial activity), shows the plane traveled over the Pacific Ocean—far south of El Salvador and Nicaragua—without entering Salvadoran airspace.
“Our radars recorded no aerial contact. The attached flight map clearly demonstrates that the aircraft never approached El Salvador,” Bukele said. He emphasized that El Salvador neither covers up criminals nor tolerates drug trafficking.
Further reinforcing El Salvador’s position, the three individuals arrested in Mexico were identified as Mexican nationals:
- Leonardo Alonso Parra Pérez, pilot – Guasave, Sinaloa
- José Adán Jalavera Ceballos, copilot – Chihuahua
- Felipe Villa Gutiérrez – Morelia, Michoacán
“These facts make it absolutely clear that the aircraft was not Salvadoran, nor was it crewed by Salvadorans,” President Bukele stated. “We won’t accept attempts to involve us in operations that are not ours.”
In response to the diplomatic tension, El Salvador has recalled its ambassador to Mexico for consultations and publicly urged the Mexican government to issue a correction.
García Harfuch later reaffirmed that the individuals arrested were indeed Mexican and acknowledged the data showing the aircraft over international waters. However, Bukele insisted on a more precise clarification, underscoring that “there is not the slightest indication that this aircraft departed from our country.”
This incident adds a new layer of complexity to regional cooperation efforts against transnational drug trafficking, emphasizing the importance of accurate intelligence and diplomatic transparency.