Forty-four years after the start of the South Atlantic conflict, President Javier Milei led the main ceremony for the Day of the Veteran and the Fallen in the Malvinas War. During his speech, the President reaffirmed Argentina’s national sovereignty claim over the islands and announced concrete measures to strengthen the defense system and improve the living conditions of the members of the Armed Forces. Among the main announcements, he highlighted the creation of a special distinction for veterans to be awarded in 2027 and a comprehensive salary recovery plan for military personnel.

The President emphasized that the Armed Forces are a central institution of the Republic that has been unfairly disparaged in the past. To reverse this situation, Milei assured that his government will work on a reconstruction of military capabilities that transcends political ideologies and becomes a state policy. In this regard, he reported that 10 percent of tax revenues from privatizations will be allocated exclusively to the purchase of weaponry and capital goods for the national defense system.

Regarding the salary situation of the troops, the President acknowledged the existence of a historical debt and stated that a country with global ambitions needs well-paid and equipped forces. In addition to the improvement in earnings, the government is addressing the crisis of the military healthcare system through an institutional reorganization that prioritizes medical care for soldiers and their families. These measures seek to restore prestige and well-being to those who dedicate their lives to the protection of Argentine sovereignty.

In diplomatic matters, Milei reaffirmed Argentina’s inalienable right to the Malvinas, South Georgia, and South Sandwich Islands. He warned that the country will respond firmly and through all necessary diplomatic tools to unilateral activities by foreign companies in the North Malvinas basin. The head of state concluded his message by paying tribute to the sacrifice of the 1982 heroes and asserting that the path to reclaiming the islands requires a strong, respected, and economically solid nation.