Peru: Transport

Peru’s Transport and Communications Minister José Tangherlini said on Saturday 7 November 2026 that there is no fuel shortage in Ucayali, a region of the Peruvian Amazon. He spoke after a huaico, an Andean mudslide, blocked the main highway to the city of Pucallpa, days before Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born pope, visits Peru.

What Happened

A huaico, a flow of mud and rock common in the Andes, struck the Federico Basadre highway in Sunday 1 November 2026. The Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) said it hit near Santa Rosa, in Padre Abad province in Ucayali, and damaged about 140 metres of road.

The Federico Basadre is the main road link between the Andes and Pucallpa, an Amazon city on the Ucayali river. Provías Nacional, the national roads agency, sent machinery from Tingo María and other points to clear the mud and rock.

Tangherlini said light vehicles, mainly mototaxis (three-wheeled taxis common in Amazon towns), were allowed through for two days before Saturday. He said crews had cleared the road for a controlled reopening.

On Saturday 7 November, he said, traffic resumed “in a controlled way” for heavy cargo, light vehicles and passenger transport. Fuel and goods meanwhile used an alternative route.

How stable the slope above the road is has not been published. Crews worked for a week to clear the debris.

File photo. Aircraft on the apron at Pucallpa airport, Ucayali region, Peru. Photo: Ovruni, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Fuel Claim

A report claimed that aircraft fuel at Pucallpa airport was affected ahead of the papal visit. Tangherlini said in a Saturday interview that this is “totally false” and that planes have the fuel needed for normal operations.

He admitted that moving fuel was difficult while the highway was shut. Tanker trucks used an alternative route that “took more time”, he said, but they kept reaching Pucallpa, including the airport.

Why It Matters

Pope Leo XIV is due in Peru with stops in Cusco and Pucallpa on Sunday 15 November. The minister addressed the claim directly in his Saturday interview.

Cusco is also adjusting for the trip, as our earlier report on the papal visit to Cusco explains. The Federico Basadre is the main road link between the Andes and Pucallpa, so a blocked road can slow many supplies.

The papal programme also covers Lima and Chiclayo, a northern coastal city. The ministry said Chiclayo airport will operate normally on Sunday 15 November.

Flights on Sunday 15 November

The ministry said commercial flights will be suspended at Cusco airport from about 7:00 to 15:00 and at Pucallpa airport from about 12:00 to 21:00, Peru time. Earlier notices gave slightly different times, so passengers should confirm with their airline.

The airports at Cusco and Pucallpa will operate 24 hours on Saturday 14 and Monday 16 November, the ministry added. Chiclayo, a northern coastal city on the pope’s route, is not affected.

What Is Not Known

No public figures show how much fuel is stored at Pucallpa’s pumps or at its airport. The denial is the minister’s account, and we have not seen documents that settle the original claim either way.

Officials have not said how long controlled traffic will last or when the highway will reopen without limits. The exact pause times differ between notices.

What It Means for You

If you plan to fly to Cusco or Pucallpa around the papal visit, expect tight flight windows on Sunday 15 November and check your booking early. Allow extra time for any overland trip in Ucayali while traffic stays controlled.

The coming days will show whether controlled traffic is enough to keep pumps and shelves steady in Pucallpa. Until then, the minister’s account is the main public record of the fuel situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a fuel shortage in Ucayali?

Peru’s transport minister said on 7 November that reports of a shortage are “totally false”. He admitted fuel took longer to arrive by an alternative route while the highway was blocked.

When are flights suspended in Pucallpa and Cusco?

On Sunday 15 November, the ministry said, commercial flights pause at Cusco from about 7:00 to 15:00 and at Pucallpa from about 12:00 to 21:00 for the papal visit; earlier notices gave slightly different times.