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Latam Cargo airlifts armored vehicles to Peru for Pope Leo visit

Papal vehicles required extra handling procedures, airline says

Eric Kulisch
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Latam Airlines has transported two popemobiles to Peru for the upcoming papal visit. (Photo: Latam Group)

Two popemobiles that will be used during Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Peru arrived on Monday from Brazil aboard a Latam Airlines Group freighter aircraft, part of a special logistics operation carried out under contract to Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in coordination with General Motors. 

The two Chevrolet vehicles, weighing three tons each and specially modified with protective features such as bulletproof glass, were transported by Latam Cargo from Varacopos International Airport in São Paulo to Lima, Peru’s capital, onboard a Boeing 767-300 freighter, the airline said in a news release.

The popemobiles were manufactured at the General Motors plant in São Bernardo do Campo near São Paulo.

Pope Leo is scheduled to visit Peru from Nov. 11 to Nov. 17 as part of a 12-day journey to Latin America that will include stops in Uruguay and Argentina. The Pope is scheduled to visit four cities in Peru. During the trip, the Pope will celebrate Mass, meet with local church communities and address civil authorities, according to the Vatican.

Latam is the largest airline in South America and its freighter division operates 19 Boeing 767-300 converted cargo jets.

Due to the vehicles’ dimensions and specific characteristics, the popemobile operation required between six and eight hours of preparation on the airport ramp, as well as specialized procedures to ensure their proper handling and transportation, Latam said.

As is normal for moving vehicles, Latam had to calculate weight distribution inside the aircraft, secure the vehicles with specialized tie-down systems on cargo platforms, and use hydraulic equipment for loading. About 20 people were required on either end of the trip for loading and unloading. The shipment also required extra security protocols to be followed. 

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Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.

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Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Parcel and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was runner up for News Journalist and Supply Chain Journalist of the Year in the Seahorse Freight Association's 2024 journalism award competition. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist. He won the group's Environmental Journalist of the Year award in 2014 and was the 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com