“Leave obstacles in our way”: Beerbach plane stuck in Rio de Janeiro

“Put obstacles in our way”
Beerbach plane stuck in Rio de Janeiro

February 22, 2024, 11:27 pm

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Foreign Minister Baerbach, who was hailing the G20 as a driver of reform in international relations, suddenly got his plane stuck in Rio de Janeiro. “The Brazilians are putting obstacles in our way,” suspects the captain. This is not the green politician's first plane crash.

Foreign Minister Annalena Berbach has again experienced a delay in one of her foreign flights. The green politician originally wanted to fly to New York from the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at around 5:30pm (CET). The government Airbus A350-900 still needed to be refueled so there was a wait at first. After the refueling was completed around 6:30 pm, the flight captain had to stop the minister. “Looks like the worm's in today,” said the captain. “We are currently trying to get permission to start a flight to New York. But the Brazilians are somehow putting obstacles in our way today.” At this time, it seems that clearance for departure will be given soon in 30 to 40 minutes. “I can't tell you why. In 40 years of aviation, I've never experienced anything like that. I'm sorry.”

The flight took off at 7pm on the nine-hour flight to New York. On the second anniversary of the Russian attack on Ukraine, the UN General Assembly and the UN At the meetings of the Security Council, Baerbach intends to speak there this Friday.

Lots of experience in break planes

Behrbach, plagued by frequent problems on commercial flights, had to make an unscheduled stop on a trip to East Africa in January. Their flight had to turn around and land in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, en route from Berlin to Djibouti in East Africa, as Eritrea did not have overflight permission.

Beerbock has previously described the G20 round as a “reform engine” within international institutions such as the United Nations. “If we are to meet the complex challenges of the 21st century, our multilateral institutions must not be stuck in the last century,” the Green politician said at a discussion among G20 foreign ministers on reforms of international political systems and the international financial framework. “I believe the G20 can play a decisive role in this reform process.”