Recent statements by Gastón Alberdi, one of the founders of the ruling La Libertad Avanza party, have shaken the Argentine political and media landscape. He accused Eduardo Elsztain, an influential businessman and campaign sponsor of Javier Milei, of supplying the missiles that the United Kingdom deployed in the Malvina Islands . This accusation, which puts one of the Libertarian presidential campaign's premium financiers at the center of attention, calls for a detailed analysis of the aforementioned weapons systems and the role of the Israeli company in question.

According to Alberdi , the Israeli-based company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems , allegedly linked to Elsztain through its holding company, was responsible for the sale of these missiles to British forces . While the allegation about the business connection is the political focus of the accusation, it is crucial to unpack Rafael 's role in the military equipment for the Malvinas to understand the seriousness of the situation.

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is a leading manufacturer of defense and weapons systems, known worldwide for products such as the Spike family of anti-tank missiles and the Python and Derby air-to-air missiles. However, this company's direct connection to British armament in the Malvinas lies not in the sale of a complete missile system like the iconic Iron Dome, but in the provision of a key component for its air defense .

The British air defense system on the islands, known as Sky Sabre, does not use Rafael-made missiles . Instead, the UK has integrated the Modular, Integrated C4I Air & Missile Defense System (MIC4AD) , a Rafael-developed command and control software that acts as the "brain" of the system. The software connects the surveillance radar (Saab Giraffe) with the missile launchers (MBDA Land Ceptor), enabling a rapid and coordinated response to aerial threats. In essence, Rafael's technology provides the combat management system that optimizes the performance of other manufacturers' weapons . The British purchase focused on the command and control architecture, not the missiles themselves. This does not mitigate Alberdi's accusation, but rather puts it into military context, demonstrating that the company in question plays an integral role in the islands' defense infrastructure .

Alberdi's accusation, beyond the missile technology, is framed in a context of serious political implications . The informant, who was part of Javier Milei's inner circle in its early days , not only accuses Elsztain of being a "traitor to the country" for these businesses, but also links the president's sister, Karina Milei, to alleged campaign fundraising maneuvers . This story, loaded with personal accusations and shady financial ties , further delegitimizes Javier Milei and his government from its founding core .

Alberdi's accusation, which equates the president's ties to a tycoon with the sale of military technology to an occupying power in Argentine territory, is extremely serious . The fact that a businessman of Elsztain 's stature, with investments in mining and other strategic sectors, is identified as a supplier of a component for British defense in the Malvinas Islands, reinforces the narrative of the fusion of private and political interests denounced by the former member of La Libertad Avanza . The situation highlights the complexity of power relations in Argentina, where the figure of a campaign patron is embroiled in a controversy of geopolitical scope, reviving the historic and sensitive debate over the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands and the relationship with the United Kingdom.

Sources:

Rafael

Military zone

Defense zone