The Ushuaia base announcement forms part of a package Milei framed within revitalized Monroe Doctrine principles, excluding external powers from the Western Hemisphere while obliquely targeting both China and the United Kingdom. The timing responds directly to the Sea Lion oil development, located 220 kilometers north of the Falklands, operated by Israeli firm Navitas Petroleum and British company Rockhopper under London authorization. The project anticipates first oil by March 2028 with peak production reaching 50,000 barrels daily, generating annual revenues potentially tripling the islands’ current GDP.
On September 17, 2026, Milei submitted a National Sovereignty Defense Bill to Congress, requesting maximum priority treatment. The legislation proposes repealing Law 26,659 from 2011, replacing it with expanded sanctions covering hydrocarbon and renewable resource exploitation without Argentine authorization. The bill extends liability beyond operators to suppliers, logistics providers, consultants, financiers and shareholders. Proposed penalties include substantial fines calculated in oil barrel equivalents, prison sentences reaching 20 years for certain violations, and operational bans for companies choosing unauthorized Falklands activities over mainland Argentine opportunities.
The legislative package creates a National Security Council headed by the president, coordinating defense, intelligence, diplomacy and cybersecurity functions with authority to declare urgent measures against perceived threats. The proposal authorizes armed forces participation in protecting strategic installations and establishes a public registry for individuals and entities linked to terrorism based on reasonable suspicion standards.
Eight US Marines conducted joint training exercises with Argentina’s 4th Marine Infantry Battalion in Ushuaia from September 8-22, 2026, according to the Argentine Navy’s institutional publication. The training covered extreme cold operations, low mountain techniques and survival procedures. Critics noted the deployment occurred without explicit Congressional authorization required under Law 25,880 and Constitutional Article 75, though previous joint exercises under Milei received authorization through necessity and urgency decrees.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
