On Friday, the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands, which considers the Malvinas Islands an integral part of its territory, formally endorsed Argentine President Javier Milei’s initiative to establish an Integrated Naval Base in the province. This military infrastructure will be located in a strategic area near the South Atlantic archipelago, which is currently under British occupation.
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On Thursday night, the president made key announcements regarding the new strategy for the region. Milei confirmed that he will accelerate and strengthen sanctions against oil companies that operate in the Falklands without the proper authorization from the Argentine state.
Simultaneously, the president presented his plan for the installation of the military base in Tierra del Fuego. However, the provincial government had previously criticized Milei’s administration on several occasions, arguing that it had weakly defended Argentine interests in the dispute with the United Kingdom over the sovereignty of the islands, located 13,000 kilometers from London and 464 kilometers from the Argentine mainland.
Following the presidential announcements, the province’s governor, Gustavo Melella, issued a statement on social media detailing the district’s official position. “We value the decision to move forward with the Integrated Naval Base. Strengthening Argentina’s presence in the South Atlantic and our Antarctic projection reaffirms the strategic importance of Tierra del Fuego,” the governor stated.
En un giro total en su relación con los ingleses, el presidente anunció que endurece las medidas de la ley del kirchnerismo para evitar la explotación petrolera y anunció una base naval en Tierra del Fuego. https://t.co/WAJ5nmFysG pic.twitter.com/Nxi2u9LrCl
— La Política Online | Argentina (@LPOArg) September 4, 2026
The text reads, “In a complete reversal of his relationship with the British, the president announced that he is tightening the measures of the Kirchnerist law to prevent oil exploitation and announced a naval base in Tierra del Fuego.”
In his statement, Melella addressed the relationship with the central government and the approach to the Malvinas issue. “As governor of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica, and the South Atlantic Islands, I highlight the change in the national government’s position regarding the Malvinas Islands,” he affirmed, marking a departure from his administration’s previous criticisms of the national government.
However, the governor of Tierra del Fuego established technical and political requirements for the project’s implementation. The provincial leader maintained that, to carry out the construction of the naval base, “it will be essential to establish a budget, deadlines, and effective coordination with the province,” he emphasized.
The defense of natural resources also occupied a central place in Melella’s speech, who indicated that it is necessary to strengthen the mechanisms to prevent the illegitimate exploitation of natural resources that are part of Argentine and provincial territory.
“There cannot be a national policy on the Malvinas Islands that is built without Tierra del Fuego. Therefore, we will formally request greater openness to dialogue and the effective participation of our province in every decision adopted regarding the Islands and the South Atlantic,” the governor demanded, regarding the province’s leading role in the national strategy.
The La Plata Malvinas Veterans Center (CECIM) and the Argentine Association of Environmental Lawyers (AAdeAA) filed a preventive action for environmental damage with collective impact against the oil companies Rockhopper, from the United Kingdom, and Navitas, from Israel.
The… pic.twitter.com/2wFtrCjxnJ
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) September 2, 2026
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