Argentina articulates to put US military base in the south of the country

Admiral Alvin Holsey, the new commander of the Southern Command of the United States, began a visit to the city of Ushuaia this week in the far south of Argentina.

The trip is part of a joint effort with the Argentine government to consolidate the design of a joint naval base in the region, according to Sputnik agency.

The initiative provides for the installation of a military base at the Austral Naval Base, located on the Beagle Channel. The area is considered strategic by connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as serving as a logistical support point for missions to Antarctica.

Admiral Holsey’s agenda breaks with the standard of foreign authorities that usually concentrate appointments in Buenos Aires.

The presence of the military in Ushuaia occurs almost a year after the visit of the then commander of the South Command, Laura Richardson, who was at the same place in April 2024, accompanied by Argentine President Javier Milei. At the time, the intention to develop a bilateral military base was announced.

Luciano Anzelini, PhD in Social Sciences, evaluates that Holsey’s visit represents a breakthrough in the consolidation of the project.

According to him, the US Department of Defense began to consider regions previously neglected, such as Arctic and Antarctic, in their strategic documents.

“The South Atlantic, the antarctic projection and the bioceanic nature of the region play an increasingly relevant role, especially in the context of global dispute with China,” he said.

Anzelini notes that the performance of the United States in the region is inserted in a geopolitical logic of containing Chinese influence in the Southern Cone. He points out that Argentina, due to its economic situation, has been aligned with US interests.

Despite official statements, the naval base project has not yet started. Moses Solorza, an international analyst based in Ushuaia, states that almost a year after the joint announcement, there are no records of construction activities at the southern naval base. He attributes the stoppage to the budget cuts carried out by the Milei government in infrastructure projects.

Solorza also mentions the presence of US companies in the region, highlighting the installation of a radar by Leolabs in 2023 in Tolhuin, near Ushuaia.

The company is pointed out by experts as a potential supplier of strategic information for US and British governments.

In addition to the performance of the United States, there are records of military movements from European countries in the region. Solorza cites exercises with real weapons and drones conducted by the United Kingdom Armed Forces in the Falkland islands.

It also mentions a new cooperation agreement between the governments of Chile and the United Kingdom for the development of the naval industry in the South Chilean, considered part of a broader dispute over control of southern area.

The Beagle channel, where the southern naval base is located, is historically an area of ​​strategic interest. In addition to its logistical importance for maritime operations, the region is considered politically sensitive because it involves historical disputes between South American countries and the presence of military bases of external powers.

The performance of the Southern States command in South America has been the subject of analysis by research centers and international observers, which accompany the growing militarization of remote areas.

Admiral Holsey’s visit is seen as part of this context, marked by the reconfiguration of strategic alliances in the southern hemisphere and the repositioning of the United States in regions that gain prominence in global disputes.

The visit takes place at a moment of redefinition of the external priorities of the Argentine government. Since the inauguration of Javier Milei, the country’s foreign policy has approached the United States on different fronts, including safety, trade and military cooperation.

The installation of the Ushuaia base, if materialized, may represent a milestone in the expansion of the US presence in the region. The proposal still depends on technical and budgetary negotiations, as well as any legislative authorizations.

While plans are still in the preliminary phase, analysts accompany the political and geostrategic impact of the initiative for the Southern Cone and the regional balance in the face of the growing presence of actors such as China and the United Kingdom in areas of interest in the southern continent.