In Tierra del Fuego, the metalworking sector raised its voice of firm opposition to the national government's controversial initiative to establish a military base in collaboration with the United States in the city of Ushuaia.

The Río Grande Metalworkers Union (UOMRG), through its leader Pablo Ibáñez , made known the sector's strong position, calling the official proposal a "flagrant betrayal of the country," marking a clear line of conflict with the national government.

The criticism comes as a direct response to statements made by Miguel Rodríguez, a candidate for national deputy for La Libertad Avanza in the province . In an interview with the program "Buenas tardes China," Rodríguez stated that his political party "supports this national government" in all its measures, explicitly referring to this defense project.

When asked again to confirm his position, the candidate from Tierra del Fuego reiterated: "Yes, obviously, I'm in favor." Rodríguez attempted to qualify the proposal, indicating that it would not be an exclusive US base, but rather "a base in collaboration" with that country.

For the UOM, this distinction does not change the substance of the matter . Ibáñez based his rejection on his organization's history, stating that, as part of an entity that "never stopped marching in defense of Argentine sovereignty and the Malvinas Islands," they cannot endorse a measure that, in his opinion, "surrenders our territory and puts our sovereignty at risk." The leader emphasized that this position clashes with the province's historical defense of sovereignty.

The strategic location of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica, and the South Atlantic Islands makes this issue extremely sensitive geopolitically. The province serves as a gateway to Antarctica and is the portion of continental territory closest to the Malvina Islands, sustaining a claim to sovereignty that has, until now, been central to Argentine foreign policy.

The possibility of a military presence in Ushuaia by the United States, a major partner of the usurping power in the Malvinas Islands, is clearly a precedent that contradicts the principles of non-alignment and unrestricted defense of the territory.

Furthermore, the UOM's stance is not an isolated incident , but rather part of a growing mosaic of rejections within Fuegian society. In this regard, it represents the organic reaction of a union with significant influence in the province, establishing a palpable rift with the ruling party at the local level.

The episode, on the other hand, places La Libertad Avanza before one of the first structured resistances in the delicate matter of national sovereignty, a principle that, in the far south, should transcend party lines.