The crisis over the transfer of national sovereignty to the United States government escalated to a new level with the forceful statement by the mayor of Río Grande, Martín Pérez, who has led the Tierra del Fuego opposition to the establishment of a military base in Ushuaia . His words— "Tierra del Fuego is not for sale; we will prevent Milei from establishing a military base in Ushuaia" —resonate as a direct challenge to the national government, just as a national survey reveals that 71% of Argentines oppose the US military presence in the province.

Pérez's statement, formulated by the "Defend Tierra del Fuego" group, not only responds to popular sentiment, but also positions him electorally .

Pérez is currently the politician with the best chance of succeeding Gustavo Melella as the leader of the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands in 2027. His statement breaks the silence and ambiguity that has characterized the response of Melella's provincial government to Milei's advance .

Pérez's firmness exposes the deep local concern over Decree 697/2025, which authorized the entry of U.S. troops into strategic bases such as Ushuaia, Mar del Plata, and Puerto Belgrano without the necessary authorization from Congress.

The voice of Patagonia against surrender

The current mayor of the city of Río Grande described the national executive's actions as a "historic setback" and a "direct threat to national sovereignty and peace in the South Atlantic."

His words are a slap in the face to the libertarian government: "We will not allow the national government to transform our province into a foreign enclave. Tierra del Fuego must be a territory of peace, development, and Latin American cooperation, not an outpost of foreign military and colonial interests."

His firmness contrasts today with the calculated caution of the provincial government, which has avoided directly confronting Milei's administration, even after the president's visit to Ushuaia failed.

This stance has generated criticism regarding possible complicity or, at least, fear of retaliation from the national government, which has put Tierra del Fuego's industry in jeopardy . Pérez 's intervention, then, is not only political, but also about institutional survival, forcing the provincial government to break its silence in the face of events of such magnitude that expose the surrender of the Malvinas Cause.

National rejection and constitutional threat

The mayor's rejection is confirmed by data from a recent survey by the consulting firm Zuban Córdoba , which yielded an overwhelming result: 71% of Argentines disapprove of Milei allowing US participation in Ushuaia in exchange for an economic agreement. Only 21% support the measure.

This massive national disapproval underscores that the defense of sovereignty in the South Atlantic is not merely a partisan issue, but a state policy with deep popular support . The survey, conducted after the publication of the decree authorizing foreign military activities at strategic bases, confirms that Milei's attempt to exchange military support for financial aid lacks social and political backing.

The situation is aggravated by the constitutional challenge posed by Decree 697/2025 . The Executive Branch ignored the mandate of Article 75, paragraph 28 of the Constitution , which requires Congressional approval for the entry of foreign troops. This arbitrary action intensifies the conflict of powers and provides further support for Representative Agustina Propato 's bill, which seeks to prohibit the presence of military forces from countries allied with the United Kingdom in the country.

Pérez's declaration, supported by a resounding national majority and with a political outlook, places Río Grande at the forefront of the resistance against what is perceived as the capitulation of the Milei government. The threat of transforming Ushuaia into a Patagonian "Broken Base" —an outpost for the U.S. submarine fleet and an enclave to counter China—has generated a unity of action in the far south demanding a halt to the surrender of sovereignty. The message is clear: Patagonia is not for sale, and the people of Tierra del Fuego are willing to prevent foreign military interference in a territory that is the vital center of the Malvinas Cause.