Friday, September 4th 2026 - 07:21 UTC
Milei said he would sign a decree that same night to “speed up the sanctions procedures” against those involved in oil extraction in what he called “Argentine territory under British occupation”
Argentine President Javier Milei announced on Thursday, in a televised national address, sanctions against companies taking part in hydrocarbon development off the Falklands without Argentine authorization, along with the construction of a naval base in Tierra del Fuego, at the country's southern tip. The message, recorded at the Casa Rosada alongside his full cabinet, raised tensions with the United Kingdom at a moment when Washington has cast doubt on its traditional neutrality in the dispute.
Milei said he would sign a decree that same night to “speed up the sanctions procedures imposed by Law 26,659” against those involved in oil extraction in what he called “Argentine territory under British occupation.” The law, in force since 2011, already provides for restrictions; the decree extends its reach to shareholders, directors and suppliers of those companies, which would be barred from operating on Argentine soil.
“Those who operate in our islands behind the Argentine government's back will have to choose between an illegal gamble in a disputed territory and a profitable, secure operation in a sovereign country with clear rules and predictability. They cannot do both,” the president said.
