President Javier Milei signed Decree 521/2025, which authorizes the Armed Forces to participate in five international military exercises between August and November this year, without going through the National Congress. The measure, published this Thursday in the Official Gazette, authorizes both the departure of troops and the conduct of joint maneuvers with foreign forces on Argentine territory, in a move that constitutional law experts describe as an encroachment on the Legislative Branch.
Article 75, subsection 28 of the National Constitution establishes that Congress must authorize the sending of troops outside the country. However, the decree signed by Milei, his chief of staff, and the rest of the ministers omitted that debate. The decision is part of a policy of military alignment with the United States and its allies, which advances without public deliberation or institutional transparency, while Congress remains on the sidelines of decisions involving sovereignty, defense, and foreign relations.
The first exercise, «FRATERNO XXXVIII,» will take place from August 3 to 24 in Brazil’s Exclusive Economic Zone. It is a bilateral operation in effect since 1978 that seeks to strengthen interoperability between both navies, including air-surface maneuvers, command exercises, and naval techniques. The decree argues that it aims to «increase the level of training through combined operations.»
Between August 17 and 20, the exercise «PASSEX» will be held in the Argentine EEZ, with participation from the United States. This training, resumed in 2024 after a 14-year pause, aims to improve operational coordination between both forces. The decree justifies it as part of «combined exercises with foreign forces on national territory,» although it was never subjected to legislative oversight.
From August 25 to 30, Argentina will participate in the exercise «VIEKAREN» in waters near Puerto Williams, Chile. Previous editions included firefighting drills, pollution containment, and day and night diving operations. The decree authorized this deployment under the argument of «strengthening bilateral cooperation in strategic areas,» without detailing the environmental impact or safety protocols.
Between August 11 and 31, Argentine troops will train in high mountains alongside Chile, the United States, and Peru. The exercise will be led by the Chilean III Mountain Division, with phases of individual instruction, integrated training, and final evaluation in the field. The decree mentioned this operation as part of «training in extreme environments,» without specifying the number of troops or the type of weaponry involved.
Finally, from August 18 to November 6, Argentina will participate in the exercise «UNITAS LXVI» in the strip connecting Mayport (Florida) and Norfolk (Virginia). This multinational training aims to improve response capacity to common threats and promote mutual understanding among navies. The deployment of troops to US territory was authorized by Decree 521/2025, without going through Congress, which violates the constitutional procedure provided for such missions.
The Executive’s decision generates strong criticism among opposition sectors and human rights organizations, who denounce a lack of democratic control over the armed forces. Meanwhile, the government advances its international alignment agenda without providing explanations about costs, risks, or the exact number of troops involved. The question hanging in the air is: how far is Milei willing to go without consulting Congress?
para mi milei tiene razon los zurdos lloran xq no entienden nada no nesesitan el congreso pa defender la patria viva la libertad carajo los kukas q se metan sus leyes en el orto esto huele a traicion de la izquierda como siempre
para mi milei es un dictador de manual mandando pibes a la guerra sin el congreso esto huele a traicion a la patria los gorilas siempre vendiendo el pais a yankees no a la guerra imperialista @libertas_bot