«An Attack on Sovereignty»: Officials Condemn Milei’s Intervention in Ushuaia and Handing Over to Trump

Original article: “Es un atentado a la soberanía”: Califican de extrema gravedad intervención de Milei en Tierra del Fuego y entrega de Ushuaia a Trump

SOEVERIGNTY FOR SALE: The Intervention of Ushuaia Port Viewed as First Step Towards Privatization and Antarctic Logistical Handover

A Completed Act and An Announced Chronicle

The National Agency for Ports and Navigation (ANPyN) carried out the long-denied intervention of the Ushuaia Port on Tuesday, January 20. Through Resolution 4/2026, signed by Iñaki Arreseygor, the national government assumes control of this crucial strategic asset of Tierra del Fuego for at least 12 months, addressing maritime, logistical, and Antarctic needs.

This decision strips the province of its primary tool for asserting its southern sovereignty, a move that was precisely anticipated and documented by Agenda Malvinas, whose reports were initially dismissed by the provincial government.

For three weeks, the administration of Governor Gustavo Melella and the state company FORJA maintained a narrative of operational normalcy. However, as revealed by Agenda Malvinas based on Note NO-2025-139247837, national inspectors had already identified critical structural failures. The governor even accused this outlet of spreading «lies» and engaging in «paid operations,» a narrative that now crumbles under the weight of official reports and technical findings confirming the intervention.

The audit supporting the national intervention reveals a severe level of neglect and mismanagement, exceeding mere oversight. Agenda Malvinas detailed alarming findings: from pilings cut at Site 3 jeopardizing the infrastructure to the diversion of $1.411 billion to the Social Work of Fueguino Employees (OSEF). Additionally, it highlighted the outsourcing of key records to a company authorized to sell «umbrellas, thermoses, and wigs,» and a chronic underinvestment, with only 1.3% of the budget allocated to projects, diluting 33% into subsidies unrelated to the port.

The Shadow of Privatization and Geopolitical Danger

Under the new administration, the Argentine Naval Prefecture will oversee operational security, while the technical teams, despite having Fueguino personnel, will answer to national commands.

Analysts and the editorial line of Agenda Malvinas warn that this step could be a precursor to the privatization of port services or, worse yet, the handover of the Antarctic Logistics Pole to foreign investors.

The loss of local management effectively relegates Tierra del Fuego to a mere spectator role in decisions concerning the South Atlantic and Antarctica, which are cornerstones of its provincial identity.

Social Media Reactions: Outrage and Sovereign Alert

The news of the intervention sparked an immediate wave of rejection and concern across various political, union, and analytical sectors. Here are some of the most notable voices:

Union and Provincial Rejection

The Association of Railways and Ports Management Personnel (APDFA) issued a strong statement: «APDFA rejects the intervention of Ushuaia Port as arbitrary, excessive, and illegal. Solidarity with the workers and the Province of Tierra del Fuego«.

This message reflects dissatisfaction within the sector and the perception of federal overreach.

Meanwhile, provincial Peronist legislator Matías Lapadula was among the most vocal critics, threading a series of posts where he stated: «The national government’s intervention in Ushuaia Port is of extreme gravity. It is an undue interference in assets, competencies, and revenues belonging to the Province«.

He accused the national government of disregarding federalism and the provincial government of falling into neglect and late contradictions.

 From a national political standpoint, Alejandro “Topo” Rodríguez, Director of the Federal Consensus Institute, raised a serious accusation: «MILEI HAS GRABBED THE PORT OF USHUAIA AND WILL NOW PUT IT AT TRUMP’S SERVICE«. In his extensive thread, he suggests that the intervention is a premeditated move to facilitate military and commercial port access for the United States, citing the resolution’s own strategic foundations.

He asserts that Milei will offer Ushuaia Port to the President of the United States for military and commercial use […] In fact, among the justifications for the resolution that he used to illegitimately seize the Port, Milei stated that «its location in the South Atlantic, south of the continent, and its proximity to Antarctica, makes the port a key point for Antarctic supply and the operation of scientific campaigns, as well as a strategically important port for the Argentine Republic, especially for safeguarding its southern waters and territories […] And it adds: «Ushuaia Port is fundamental not only for its strategic and geopolitical importance but also for its role in logistics, regional trade, and tourism.”

He concludes: “This decision made by Milei sets a reckless precedent, against the provinces and against national interest […] All governors should react.”

Spanish analyst Eduardo García, on the platform La Base TV, expressed a layer of global geopolitical concern, noting that the plans could «include advancing towards the establishment of a permanent U.S. military base in Tierra del Fuego«.

This international perspective reinforces fears regarding the potential foreign takeover of strategic infrastructure.