The Casa Rosada will require approval from the Ministry of Defense for any aerospace installation in Argentina
President Javier Milei's government has made a key decision regarding national defense and technological sovereignty. A resolution signed by Chief of Cabinet Guillermo Francos establishes that the Ministry of Defense must intervene mandatorily in all projects related to radars, observatories, and aerospace systems within Argentine territory.
The measure, published this Tuesday in the Official Gazette, aims to prevent the installation of foreign infrastructure with possible dual use (civil and military), in a context where warnings about China's technological and geopolitical influence in the region are multiplying.
Defense sources confirmed that there are four projects under review: two of Chinese origin, one American, and one European. The most sensitive case is the Chinese-Argentine Radiotelescope (CART) in San Juan, whose construction is in its final stage and is facing delays due to customs obstacles.
Although the project was presented as a joint scientific initiative between the National University of San Juan (UNSJ), Conicet, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, various organizations have warned about the possibility that its infrastructure could be used for intelligence and strategic communication purposes, as happened with the Neuquén space station, which was handed over to the Beijing regime during Kirchnerism.
The resolution seeks to strengthen state oversight of all infrastructure with possible strategic use and guarantee that the country keeps control over its scientific and technological development, without compromising sovereignty by serving external interests. The decision comes after the diplomatic rapprochement with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has publicly expressed concern about China's advance in Latin America.
The National University of San Juan, aligned with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, reported delays in the release of CART parts held in Customs, claiming the project is of a "strictly scientific" nature to avoid review by the Ministry of Defense. The original radiotelescope agreement expired this year, leaving the initiative in a legal vacuum that will now be thoroughly reviewed, while the project remains paralyzed and under observation by the national government.
With this resolution, Milei's government marks a turning point: the country will once again have sovereign control over its scientific and technological projects, preventing a repeat of the "silent colonization" model promoted by China during the Kirchner administrations.