Argentina is burning and the numbers explain why.

DD Geopolitics

@DD_Geopolitics

Argentina is burning and the numbers explain why. According to the **Land Observatory** (Observatorio de Tierras, run by UBA–CONICET), foreigners already own 13 million hectares of Argentine rural land, about 5% of the national territory, an area roughly the size of England. The national average hides the real danger: foreign ownership is heavily concentrated in strategic zones that matter for resources, security, and future control: - Patagonia and the Andean region (hit hardest by recurring wildfires) - River headwaters and aquifers - Border areas - Mineral-rich lands - Key logistics corridors along the Paraná River (e.g., Iguazú, Ituzaingó, and Campana now exceed 30% foreign ownership in some sectors) These are EXACTLY the areas facing devastating, recurrent fires. Policy makes it worse. The Ley de Manejo del Fuego** (Law 26.815, modified in 2020) previously prohibited land-use changes (e.g., for sale or development) on burned native forest or agricultural areas for 30–60 years. This provided a safeguard against speculative arson and exploitation. The Milei administration has moved to derogate or weaken these protections. In December 2025, Chief of Staff Manuel Adorni announced plans to repeal the 2020 restrictions as part of the "Consejo de Mayo" agenda, restoring the pre-2020 regime. This creates a dangerous cycle: - Forests burn (often amid chronic underfunding of the Servicio Nacional de Manejo del Fuego with real cuts of ~69% vs. 2023 and ~78% vs. 2025 projected for 2026) - Protections are lifted or bypassed - Land becomes eligible for quick sale or "productive" development - Strategic territory changes hands frequently to foreign buyers Acquisitions target high-geopolitical-value nodes like water sources, freshwater reserves, energy corridors, minerals, not just tourism or basic agriculture. As the article notes: "Foreign ownership is not just a matter of property titles; it is the loss of the ability to decide on the water we drink and the energy we produce." Top owners: - United States**: 2.7 million hectares (more than the entire province of Tucumán) - Followed by Italy and Spain The trend began in the 1990s with border protections dismantled and massive transfers, but the current speed is unprecedented. Map guide in first reply.

4:34 AM · Jan 12, 2026

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