Peru's Chinchero Airport Faces Two-Year Delay, Cost Overrun Warning

The Comptroller General's office has sounded the alarm over the Chinchero International Airport project, a vital infrastructure development for Cusco and Peru. Our report reveals that the consortium overseeing the construction is seeking a two-year extension, pushing the completion date back to December 2028. This proposed delay, which lacks sufficient technical or contractual backing, is deeply concerning.

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The consortium in charge of the works projected extending the deadline for delivery from December 2026 to December 2028, despite there being no technical or contractual justification for this modification.

Beyond the timeline, significant financial issues plague the project. The Ministry of Transport and Communications faces a substantial deficit for 2026, and critically, the contractor owes over US$895,000 to local community suppliers. This failure to meet financial obligations to communities like Ayllopongo, Racchi Ayllu, and Yanacona could ignite social unrest and jeopardize the airport's future.

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The MTC faces a deficit of more than S/65 million, as the allocated amount is less than the expenses foreseen for this fiscal year.

This situation underscores a recurring challenge in Peru: the gap between ambitious infrastructure goals and the realities of project execution, budget management, and community engagement. While the promise of the Chinchero airport is immense, its troubled progress, as detailed in the Comptroller's findings, demands urgent attention and corrective action from the Ministry of Transport and Communications to ensure this crucial project benefits the region as intended.

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a debt exceeding US$895,000 that the contractor owes to suppliers from peasant communities located in the direct influence area of the project.