Bullrich Clarifies Remarks About ‘Control’ of the Strait of Magellan, Blaming ‘Confusion’

Patricia Bullrich sought to defuse controversy over remarks that appeared to place Argentina in control of the Strait of Magellan. The senator and former security minister said the statement resulted from “a confusion of names.”

Bullrich made the comments in an interview with Radio Mitre while supporting Argentine President Javier Milei’s plan to reactivate and finance the Integrated Naval Base in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego. Construction of the facility began in 2022, during the government of Alberto Fernández.

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A confusion of names.

Speaking about sovereignty, Bullrich said the issue was not simply a question of who held a property title. She linked it instead to Argentina’s presence in areas the country must defend, including the northern border in the fight against drugs, the southern border in the effort to recover the Falkland Islands, control of the South Atlantic, the Strait of Magellan and access to Antarctica.

The reference to the Strait of Magellan triggered criticism and prompted her clarification. Bullrich maintained that the disputed wording reflected a mix-up over names while continuing to frame the Ushuaia naval base as part of Argentina’s broader strategic presence in the south.

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The concept of sovereignty is not who has a property title, it is how we are positioned in the places our country has to defend.