US military exercises in Argentina were authorized by Argentine President Javier Milei this Tuesday through an emergency decree. The measure allows for the entry of approximately 30 US Army personnel for 27 days, between October 20 and November 15, to conduct joint training at Argentine naval bases.
Decree 697/2025, published Tuesday in the Official Gazette, allows the entry of "media and personnel" from the U.S. Armed Forces for a period of 27 days, between October 20 and November 15, to the naval bases of Mar de Plata, Ushuaia, and Puerto Belgrano (Punta Alta), "including areas designated for maritime and land military training."
"The exercise aims to exchange training procedures, techniques, and tactics among Special Forces to operate in complex scenarios requiring multinational coordination, immediate response capacity, and the effective use of advanced technologies, with the innovative doctrinal and technical contribution of the United States Navy," the statement reads, referring to a deployment of some 30 marines, according to the newspaper 'Página 12'.
This Tuesday, Milei announced a new meeting with her American counterpart, Donald Trump, which will take place in Washington on October 14, amid the campaign for the legislative and municipal elections.
A week ago, the White House resident offered his "complete and total" support for Milei's reelection, describing him as a "very good friend" after a bilateral meeting in New York . He said at the time that Milei "inherited a total disaster" that was " ultimately caused" by the previous US administration, led by Joe Biden. Despite this, he "has restored stability to the Argentine economy," although he "needs" a second term to "complete the job."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, for his part, stated that his Department "is willing to do whatever is necessary within its mandate to support Argentina ." In this regard, he asserted that "all stabilization options are on the table," including swap lines, direct purchases of foreign currency, or purchases of US dollar-denominated government debt from the Treasury's Exchange Stabilization Fund .
Repercussions and perspectives
The landing of US Marines comes at a time when Argentina is seeking to reposition itself as a strategic ally of the United States. For the Milei government, military cooperation is a key step in strengthening bilateral ties and modernizing its own defense capabilities.
At the same time, the announcement comes at a time of regional tensions and discussions about foreign military presence in Latin America. While some sectors highlight the opportunity for access to new technologies and training, others emphasize the need to preserve autonomy in national security decisions.
Ultimately, the upcoming exercises will be an opportunity to assess cooperation between the two countries and the scope of the defense policy promoted by the current administration.
