Argentine government says the Ushuaia naval base will monitor resources and sovereignty

Argentina's government announced on Tuesday that the naval base it plans to build in Ushuaia will serve to monitor and control natural resources and sovereignty in the South Atlantic. Presidential spokesman Adrián Ravier stated that the facility will provide logistical functions and act as a strategic point for Argentina's presence in the region.

The base will also enhance naval and air protection with a P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft and F-16 fighters purchased from Denmark. Additionally, commercial and civilian docks will be constructed to support economic activity. However, companies involved in exploration and extraction of hydrocarbons in the disputed area will be prohibited from contracting with the Argentine state, joining investment incentive programs, receiving tax benefits, or participating in the country's main unconventional field, Vaca Muerta.

Work on the base began in 2022 under President Alberto Fernández but has been largely halted since. Defense Minister Carlos Presti announced that construction will resume on January 2 once public tenders are completed, with the government reallocating $142 million to the project through decree 867 and seeking further funding. Ravier emphasized that the base will be entirely Argentine and ruled out any foreign involvement, stating there is no agreement with the United States or any form of support.

Ushuaia, located about 700 kilometers from the Falkland Islands, which Argentina claims, is the site for the new naval base. The announcement is part of President Javier Milei's campaign launched on September 3, and the foreign ministry has initiated administrative proceedings against at least 60 individuals and companies under Law 26,659.