Announcements and initial support
President Javier Milei used a national broadcast to announce a decree aimed at expediting sanctions under Law 26.659 against the Sea Lion oil project, along with plans to send Congress a reform of that law and a bill on national sovereignty defense. He also confirmed increased funding for the Integrated Naval Base in Tierra del Fuego. The speech quickly generated reactions on social media, with officials expressing support and critics voicing concerns.[S1][S2]
Daniel Scioli, a national government official and former governor of Buenos Aires province, called the broadcast brilliant and said that firm and non-negotiable defense of sovereignty and freedom is the only path to a prosperous Argentina. PRO deputy Silvana Giudici said the Falklands and Argentine Antarctica deserve state policies and indicated her bloc is ready to support related laws. Karen Reichardt of La Libertad Avanza linked the announcements to Milei's trips to the United States, saying Argentina has become a serious country again.[S1][S2]
Opposition and left-wing criticism
Deputy Esteban Paulon expressed reservations, hoping the defense of the South Atlantic also includes a response to British ship intrusions and what he called a surrender of sovereignty to the United States. Carli Bianco, a Buenos Aires provincial official, questioned the timing, noting that 267 days passed since Navitas Petroleum and Rockhopper Exploration announced their final investment decision on December 10, 2025, without effective government action despite existing legal tools.[S1][S2]
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Bianco pointed out that the project advanced unhindered, with an investment of US$1.8 billion, closed financing, and preparations for a vessel that could produce up to 50,000 barrels per day, expandable to 180,000, with production expected to start in 2028. He suggested the delay was due to the government's overtures to the UK and Israel, citing Milei's relationship with Margaret Thatcher, the reception of Boris Johnson, and the Mondino-Lammy pact. He said his space aims to break the status quo of British occupation from December 2027.[S1]
Left-wing deputy Myriam Bregman was the harshest, ironically suggesting Milei had his neurons hacked or that the US is using him to provoke the UK, accusing that the script was written in the Pentagon. Retired general César Milani accused Milei of seeking electoral gain from the Falklands climate generated by the national team in the World Cup, criticizing the government for allowing British oil ships to dock in Ushuaia while proclaiming sovereignty. Vanina Biasi called the speech a nationalist discursive turn and questioned the lack of specifics on preventing Sea Lion exploitation.[S1]
More reactions and context
Defense Minister Luis Petri wrote that the Falklands are Argentine and that only a great Argentina can recover them. Martín Menem, president of the Chamber of Deputies, posted in capitals that the Falklands are Argentine. Deputy Santiago Santurio guaranteed support from his bloc to defend national sovereignty, calling the Falklands a national cause. The reactions continued to expand, including voices from the ruling party, dialoguist opposition, Kirchnerism, and the left.[S1]
