President Kast rules out demanding that Milei repeal decree on the Strait of Magellan

José Antonio Kast has rejected calls to demand that Javier Milei repeal Argentina’s decree on joint control in the Strait of Magellan before the two presidents meet in Santiago.

Kast set out his position aboard the frigate Prat, in the middle of the strait, where he watched Chilean Navy exercises described as strategic deterrence operations. The drills included ships, helicopters and maneuvers by a conventional submarine, carried out only hours before Milei’s arrival in Chile.

Several political groups had urged Kast to make the annulment of the decree signed under Alberto Fernández an unavoidable condition for dialogue. The Chilean president instead chose to prioritize bilateral understanding.

Kast emphasized that Chile’s sovereignty was not in question, while ruling out a demand that Milei sign the repeal. The decision removes the issue as a formal precondition for the presidents’ discussions.