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The Falklands/Malvinas issue It may sound contradictory that the libertarian government is strengthening its political and military ties with the United States and claiming that this will help defend our sovereignty. And if you add to that Milei 's recent statements regarding the Falklands/Malvinas issue, the situation is truly bizarre. But it's all part of the same plan. Demagoguery and double standards are hallmarks of Milei's movement, even before he arrived at the Casa Rosada ( the presidential palace ). And then there's Trump , who says one thing and contradicts himself a minute later. In both cases, the weaker they are politically and economically, the more exposed their hypocrisy becomes . “Hemispheric security” Seven months after that event in Tierra del Fuego, General Laura Richardson was replaced. Trump 's victory over Biden led to Admiral Alvin Holsey taking command of Southern Command , who a year later handed the position over to Lieutenant General Evan Pettus , who was soon replaced by General Francis Donovan . Since February, the head of the Marine Corps has been in charge of that section of the Department of Defense, responsible for U.S. military and "security" operations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Beyond the pendulum swing between Republican and Democratic administrations, as in so many other things, the Southern Command maintains a continuity faithful to imperialist interests. And one of its historical banners is so-called “hemispheric security ,” based on the “undisputed” tutelage of the northern country over the rest of the continent. Between the mid- and late 20th century, “hemispheric security” justified the geopolitical dispute with the Soviet Union and the repression of workers' and popular uprisings in Latin America by armed forces recruited for the National Security Doctrine . Today, without the USSR and having implemented neoliberal plans with fire and bloodshed in much of the region, a declining US imperialism uses “hemispheric security” to renew its interventionism. Justified by the so-called “new threats” (drug trafficking, organized crime, migration, “terrorism”) and needing to seize more markets (dispute with China, plunder of shared natural resources, control of infrastructure and ocean routes), the United States seeks to regain ground in the Southern Cone by securing agreements and commitments with far-right “democratic” governments. Naturally, Javier Milei is one of their accomplices. Much more so in his second presidency than in his first, Trump wants to strengthen a “continental security” “architecture” where “allied” countries are his direct collaborators. What happened in Venezuela this year is emblematic, since after the kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro and his wife under flimsy accusations of “narco-terrorism,” the Republican had no problem making a deal with the rest of the Chavista bureaucracy for a “transition” that guarantees him control of almost all of the oil in that country in crisis. In the case of Argentina, Washington has multiple interests. On the one hand, there's our continental geographic position . In southern Argentina, one can travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific like nowhere else. There, too, lies the closest landmass to Antarctica and the alluring Falkland Islands, occupied by Great Britain. On the other hand, Argentina possesses strategic resources such as lithium, energy, and critical minerals, among other shared natural assets. Furthermore, Trump believes our country is a strategic location from which he could limit China 's presence in Latin America. What progress was made? It is abundantly clear that there is a strong “cooperation” agreement between Milei and Trump . Or, more accurately, a de facto submission of Argentina to US imperialism. And although there is no single “security agreement,” in these almost three years, La Libertad Avanza has been adjusting its policies to the needs of the Donroe Doctrine through agreements, military exercises, and other mechanisms . Last July , Kristi Noem , the US Secretary of Homeland Security who unleashes her xenophobic fury against thousands of Latin American migrants, visited Argentina . In meetings with officials like Patricia Bullrich and during tours of military bases such as Campo de Mayo, Noem agreed to deepen her country's "cooperation" in the much-touted (and failed) fights against drug trafficking, organized crime, "terrorism," and transnational crime . Three months later, the government signed two agreements with the FBI . One was for “information exchange,” “technical assistance,” and “operational cooperation,” signed by officials from SIDE (the State Intelligence Secretariat) and the Ministry of Security . The other was for “training,” “technology,” and “education” for the Federal Police , also signed by Bullrich and high-ranking officers of that force. In December, during a meeting between the now libertarian senator and Peter Lamelas , the "El Dorado" agreement was signed with the US Embassy , through which a binational Task Force would be created "to combat organized crime" through the exchange of "real-time" information and "joint actions" in Argentine territory. Less than a month ago, as part of the same policy, the Milei government hosted the 40th International Conference of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Buenos Aires . With Minister Alejandra Monteoliva playing a leading role , nearly 600 high-ranking officials from a hundred countries deliberated behind closed doors for three days . There were no announcements or statements reflecting what was discussed. The above is complemented by daily communications and travel by officials from one country to another, where members of ministries such as Security and Defense or of dens such as SIDE cross paths with agents of the FBI , the DEA , Homeland Security and other Yankee agencies. In the military field , the Milei government operationalized various joint exercises , troop exchanges , training of "special forces" , information sharing , acquisition of US equipment and technology , and active collaboration with the Southern Command . In March 2025, the military leadership of Argentina and the United States established a “permanent bilateral mechanism” for cooperation and training. And in August, Argentina co-hosted the South American Defense Conference , organized by the Southern Command . This year, bilateral agreements continue to be signed, covering logistical support , the use of anti-drone systems, and even reciprocal fuel supply . In turn, the government enthusiastically participates in the multilateral “security” bodies created by Washington. The most renowned is the “Shield of the Americas ,” signed in March of this year in Miami. Milei traveled there specifically to sign a new agreement to “combat” drug trafficking, organized crime, and “foreign interference.” Around that time, the Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Carlos Presti , visited the headquarters of the Southern Command itself to sign Argentina’s accession to the coalition against “narco-terrorism.” Two months ago, the Government also participated in the Hemispheric Security Forum organized by the Southern Command , where topics such as “critical infrastructure”, “transnational threats” and “modernization of defense capabilities” were discussed. And sovereignty? As Mauricio Macri would say , "I owe you one." The base in Tierra del Fuego In his national address on the Falklands/Malvinas issue, Milei emphasized the development of the Ushuaia Integrated Naval Base , the same one where he hosted General Richardson and Ambassador Stanley in April 2024. But it must be said that this base is not a libertarian invention. After some previous attempts that failed, the project began in 2022, during the administration of Alberto Fernández , Cristina Kirchner , and Sergio Massa . While its formal objective is to strengthen Argentina's presence in the South Atlantic and its projection toward Antarctica without interference from other countries, the United States has long viewed the project with great interest. This is despite the fact that both the Ministry headed by Presti and the Tierra del Fuego Military Garrison (responsible for construction) claim that there have never been any discussions with Washington about establishing a "joint base." If there are any US contributions to the project, they are not currently publicly known. The truth is that both the base and the city of Ushuaia itself are highly attractive to imperialist interests. Having a strong naval infrastructure there would allow for privileged control and surveillance of the region; greater operational capabilities in and to Antarctica; and an invaluable support point for commercial, scientific, and military vessels, both for maintenance and for resupplying with supplies and fuel. Donald Trump 's recent statements regarding a possible "revision" in favor of Argentina of the United States' historically (falsely) "neutral" stance on the Falkland Islands occupation led Milei to abruptly change his equally long-standing denial of Argentina's sovereign rights over the islands. Thus, due to its geographical proximity, the construction of the integrated base in Tierra del Fuego resurfaced in the public discourse. If Trump had no qualms about invading Venezuela and making a deal with Chavismo to hand over enormous oil reserves at a pittance, what is he thinking about the vast oil reserves and other natural resources surrounding the Falkland Islands ? Milei 's recent comments regarding potential sanctions against companies exploiting hydrocarbons in the islands without Argentine authorization seem more like something Donald Trump himself came up with than the brains of figures like Karina Milei and Santiago Caputo . With Argentine officials willing to hand over even their own mothers, it is possible that Trump is not thinking of turning our region into a new battlefield with bombs and rifles but rather of deepening his plan for “hemispheric security” based on ever-increasing “preventive” and “joint” police and military interference through strategic arms such as the Southern Command . A “security” that can never be progressive or beneficial for the majority of the Argentine and Latin American people. A “security” tailored to the historical imperialist plunder and exploitation of our continent . A “security” of the Yankee ruling classes and their regional partners. In other words, pure insecurity for the working class and the poor . https://www.laizquierdadiario.com/Milei-y-la-base-en-Tierra-del-Fuego-no-hay-nada-mas-inseguro-que-subordinarse-a-Estados-Unidos? Back |
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