Argentina greenlights Brazilian naval drills and secret US dam pact under President Milei

President Javier Milei signed a decree of necessity and urgency that authorizes the Brazilian Navy to conduct the annual FRATERNO XXXIX joint exercise in Argentine territorial waters from 10 to 24 August 2026. The drills will take place at the Puerto Belgrano and Mar del Plata naval bases and in the South Atlantic, aiming to improve combined naval, air‑naval and amphibious training and to reaffirm Argentina’s commitment to regional security.

In a separate development, a secret Memorandum of Understanding was signed in March 2024 between Argentina’s ORSEP and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The agreement, signed by Brigadier General Daniel H. Hibner for the United States and ORSEP head Adriano Borus for Argentina, grants USACE authority to draft and update safety regulations for Argentine dams, and to participate in planning, construction, maintenance and research of hydraulic infrastructure. The pact, kept confidential from Congress and the public, includes a five‑year term and a clause classifying all related data as non‑disclosable, raising concerns about Argentine water and energy sovereignty.