Spanish
Buenos Aires.- The Government of the Argentine President, Javier Milei, authorized this Friday by decree the entry of United States troops into the South American country for the conduct of combined military exercises.
The decision, signed by the president and published today in the Official Gazette, allows the entry of US Armed Forces personnel and equipment to participate in the military exercise 'Atlantic Dagger', scheduled between this Tuesday and June 12, 2026, as well as in the naval operation 'PASSEX', which will take place from April 26 to 30.The 'Atlantic Dagger' maneuvers will be carried out at different military installations in the country, including the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base, the Córdoba Military Garrison, and the VII Air Brigade of the Argentine Air Force, located in Moreno, Buenos Aires province.
The 'PASSEX' exercise, meanwhile, will take place in the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone and will feature the participation of US Navy ships, which will operate alongside local units.In 2025, the Executive Branch had sent a bill to Congress to authorize the entry of foreign troops and the departure of Argentine forces within the framework of planned joint exercises, but the initiative was not addressed.
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According to the Argentine Constitution, the authorization for the entry of foreign troops corresponds to Parliament, but the Government justified the use of the decree as an exceptional measure due to a situation of "necessity and urgency", given the lack of legislative treatment of the original project. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, these activities will allow to increase military preparedness, strengthen regional defense, and promote the exchange of knowledge and operational practices. Before his arrival at the Casa Rosada, in December 2023, Milei has expressed total support for the United States and Israel, whom he considers his two main allies in geopolitical terms. With the beginning of the conflict of both countries with Iran, the Argentine president reiterated his position and deepened the deterioration of the diplomatic relationship with that Middle Eastern country, to the point of expelling its diplomatic representative.
