Wanted: Good Used Jet
Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet wants an inexpensive second-hand jet for her travels. The Chilean government is willing to pay about $50 million for a plane that will become part of the Chilean Air Force’s aging fleet and will be used part-time for presidential travel. A new plane, would cost $150 million to $300 million.
Such a move might seem in character for Bachelet, a single mother and a socialist, however, frugality is actually a tradition of Chilean presidents. Most have continued to live in their own homes after taking office, as does Bachelet. Her predecessor, Ricardo Lagos, sometimes even rode the subway to work.
Currently, though, Chile is experiencing a bonanza because copper, its chief export, has been bringing record prices. The Bachelet government is saving its copper revenues for leaner times despite calls for more state spending.
A poll by the conservative organization Center of Public Studies indicated 52% of Chileans approved of Bachelet in December, up from 46% in July 2006. The disapproval rate is unchanged at 31%.