A country’s Defense and Foreign Relations Policy must be aligned, in fact the former is subordinate to the latter, if things develop peacefully. This is what happened in Argentina, these two ministries being the only ones who do not have answers at the provincial level because they exclusively define the profile of the Nation.

In the last 20 years, the international political action of the Nation has grown exponentially. This is proven by the legitimacy of 336 examples of bilateral cooperation between the Ministry of Defense and ABRI with 42 countries, consisting of 188 agreements, 88 work mechanisms, 27 agreements on science and technology organizations and 31 agreements signed by the Defense University (UnDef). In this way, it was submitted in the file survey work arranged by the Ministry of Defense headed by Jorge Taiana and carried out by the Secretary for International Affairs for Defense in charge of Francisco Cafiero.

The recently published “Guide to Bilateral and Multilateral Agreements for the Defense and Armed Forces of Argentina” provides a careful compilation of explanations of Defense Argentina’s evolving relationship with various countries, about what different countries have done and imposed. the Argentine government. This has contributed to shattering the negative myth about Argentina’s perceived isolation that the melancholic right does from time to time to break the country’s spirits. On the other hand, according to what Secretary Cafiero pointed out, it maintains 11 examples of multilateral relations and 9 representatives in international scientific-technological defense organizations. Argentina has the advantage, in a world deeply shaken by armed conflict, economic crises and serious environmental disturbances, to be located in an armed conflict-free zone and guided by a “dissuasive, autonomous and cooperative defense strategy”.

A large number of these agreements have been signed with bordering and neighboring countries, but are gradually expanding to cover a wide geography. The largest number of agreements signed with a single country are with Chile (27), Brazil (24), United States (15), Spain (14), Peru (11), Italy (9), Uruguay, Bolivia, and China (7) . , Paraguay and France (6), Russia (5), the rest are smaller units. It is noteworthy that with the United Kingdom only three meetings were signed, two of which were in May 2003 at the end of Eduardo Duhalde’s presidency and one during the latter part of Mauricio Macri’s term.

A special case was brought with Mexico, with whom they signed two memorandums of understanding on the matter in 2014 (the government of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner) and a second in September 2021 with the presidency of Alberto Fernández. Mexico’s defensive isolation is starting to wane with respect to Argentina with the intense relations that have resulted between the two governments in recent years.

It is true that international relations between countries in Defense matters are not limited or only expressed by understanding agreements or relations within multilateral organizations. Arms purchases, for example, although carried out through private companies, are through bilateral relations. But intergovernmental agreements not only legalize the practice but also stimulate employment. So support Argentina with Chile and Peru, the Battalion for the Multinational Peacekeeping Force, “Cruz del Sur” and “Libertador don José de San Martín” respectively. On another level, the Defense Memorandum signed in May 2007 between Argentina and the People’s Republic of China is considered by the latter country to be of great political importance.

Examples of multilateral relationships on Defense matters (including the American Defense Ministers Conference, the Inter-American Defense Council, the American Soldiers Conference, the United Nations Regional Peace Center in Latin America and the Caribbean and the South Atlantic Zone of Cooperation, among others), are areas of cooperation and dispute. Perhaps, if the United Nations of South America (UNASUR) is re-established, the South American Defense Council (CDS) can be re-established. It is a fact and a Defense policy perspective whose pluralism strengthens its autonomy.