As part of the discussion on Bill MEN-2024-52-APN-PTE to reform Internal Security Law No. 24.059, which seeks to allow the Armed Forces to operate in cases of terrorism, Lieutenant General (R) Juan Martín Paleo, former Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces during the 2020-2024 period, participated as a speaker in an informative session of the Defense Commission of the National Chamber of Deputies, in which he referred to the bill and expressed a dissenting position that has widespread support within the opposition to the current administration of President Javier Milei.
In this regard, during the commission session, which was presided over by national deputy Ricardo López Murphy, Lieutenant General (R) Paleo expressed his disagreement with the Executive Power’s proposal, calling it unnecessary, as he believes the current legal framework already allows the participation of the Armed Forces in exceptional situations, such as in electoral processes.
In his view, moving forward with this reform, which grants greater participation to the Armed Forces in internal security with an active role, has negative consequences. In a clear analogy to the lethality inherent in the military instrument, Paleo stated that “When military force is used, the Rottweiler is unleashed. And unleashing the Rottweiler is complicated. We have historical examples for which we still have to pay the consequences,” a clear reference to the participation of the Armed Forces in the fight against terrorist organizations during the 1970s.
In this regard, he pointed out that drug trafficking should be addressed through a doctrinal update within the current legal framework, without the need to directly involve the Armed Forces in such situations. Although he acknowledged the need to modernize certain aspects, he maintained that Resolution 727/06, the result of a democratic consensus, remains valid.
On the other hand, the bill promoted by sectors advocating for greater military participation suggests that the Armed Forces should have a more active role in the “gray areas” of threats to the Nation, referring to those not directly addressed by the current internal security regulations.
It is worth noting that, in defense of the bill, the Minister of Defense, Luis Petri, in his August presentation, mentioned that one of the most controversial points is the possibility of the Armed Forces acting when security forces are overwhelmed, in situations such as a state of siege, an intervention that is currently restricted. On this occasion, Petri highlighted that the reform seeks to eliminate some of these limitations, allowing the Armed Forces to train, exercise, and equip themselves for these extreme situations, something that is not currently allowed by the existing law.
Image credits: HCDN
You may also like: Argentina will soon sign the LOA for the armament of the future F-16 fighters of the Air Force
