US signs off on $1.5 billion deal for Peru naval base
The United States approved a $1.5 billion foreign military sale to Peru to expand and modernize the Callao naval base near Lima’s international airport. The State Department said the package includes engineering, construction, equipment, training, and logistics support and will bring up to 20 US government and contractor personnel to Peru for up to 10 years. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the deal, which aims to strengthen Peru’s maritime security and defense capabilities. The announcement follows the inauguration of a separate Chinese-funded mega-port in Peru, though US officials did not formally link the two projects.