Argentina-US dam safety pact

In March 2024 the administration of President Javier Milei signed a confidential Memorandum of Understanding with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The agreement gave the U.S. agency authority to draft and update safety regulations for Argentine dams and to take part in planning, construction, maintenance and research of hydraulic infrastructure. The pact was kept secret from Congress and the public, with clauses classifying all related data as non‑disclosable. Its existence was later revealed by journalist Sebastián Premici after a public‑information request and confirmed by former U.S. ambassador Marc Stanley.

In early August 2026 Milei issued a decree of necessity and urgency authorising the Brazilian Navy to conduct the annual FRATERNO XXXIX joint exercise in Argentine territorial waters. The drills, scheduled for mid‑August, aim to enhance combined naval, air‑naval and amphibious training and signal Argentina’s commitment to regional security. The same announcement reiterated the secret dam‑safety memorandum, underscoring ongoing concerns about Argentine water and energy sovereignty amid deeper security cooperation with Brazil and the United States.