Argentina’s government of Javier Milei adjudicated 3,900 kilometers of national highways to private concessionaires on Friday to advance its plan of removing the state from infrastructure development and public works.
Argentinean Economy Minister Luis Caputo confirmed the measure on the social network X, announcing the adjudication of Stage III of the Federal Concessions Network.
This phase involves eight strategic segments operated entirely with private capital, continuing the systematic withdrawal of the public sector from infrastructure.
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The Argentinean Minister omitted the names of the private corporations receiving these highly valuable national road corridors. The concession includes construction, operation, administration, repair, expansion, and maintenance along strategic routes in provinces like Santa Fe, Córdoba, Entre Ríos, Salta, and Mendoza.
With this step, the Milei’s administration has handed over more than 9,000 kilometers of national routes, which carry approximately 80% of Argentina’s total road traffic.
Caputo claimed that all 16 strategic segments will begin active construction by late September. However, the Minister did not provide financial guarantees or detailed chronograms for the scheduled works in each province.
IMPORTANTE
Adjudicamos la Etapa III de la Red Federal de Concesiones: más de 3.900 km de rutas nacionales, distribuidos en 8 tramos estratégicos, con inversión 100% privada.Los tramos adjudicados son:
• Centro: RN 9, 19 y 34 | Santa Fe y Córdoba.
• Mesopotámico: RN 12 y 18…— totocaputo (@LuisCaputoAR) August 21, 2026
Text reads: “Important: We awarded the Stage III of the Federal Network of Concessions: more than 3,900 km of national routes, distributed in 8 strategic sections, with 100% private investment. The awarded sections are:
- Center: RN 9, 19 and 34 | Santa Fe y Córdoba.
- Mesopotamia: RN 12 and 18 | Entre Ríos.
- North Center: RN 34 | Santa Fe and Santiago del Estero.
- Northwest: RN 9, 34, 66, 1V66 and A-016 | Salta, Jujuy, Tucumán and Santiago del Estero.
- Littoral: RN 12 and 16 | Corrientes y Chaco.
- Northeast: RN 12 and 105 | Misiones y Corrientes.
- Chaco-Santa Fe: RN 11 | Santa Fe y Chaco.
- Whose: RN 7 | Mendoza.
With this award, we have completed more than 9,000 km of the main national routes that will all be in construction from the end of Septiempbre: 16 strategic sections, through which circulates about 80% of the country’s traffic. More private investment, more efficiency and better routes for all Argentinean.”
Provincial Governors Demand Works
This rapid privatization push directly contradicts the urgent infrastructure demands raised by provincial authorities. Just one day prior, governors of oil and mining provinces demanded that the national government increase public funding to restore crumbling roads essential for regional economies.
During the annual conference of the Council of the Americas in Buenos Aires, the governors of the provinces of Neuquén, Chubut, Jujuy, and Salta warned about the severe deterioration of highways. They emphasized that decaying state infrastructure directly hinders transport, limits industrial production, and damages regional export capacities.
Under the neoliberal framework of Javier Milei, the Argentinean State continues to abdicate its fundamental role in planning and maintaining public infrastructure. By transferring the management of vital national transit corridors to private entities without clear investment commitments, the administration prioritizes corporate profitability over regional integration and national development. This policy shifts the financial burden of highway maintenance directly to users through toll systems, deepening the economic challenges faced by Argentinean provinces.
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