MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

1982 war veteran slated for Argentine Defense Ministry's “Number 2” job?

Esteban was forced to retire in 2007 after being passed over for promotion to the rank of General

Argentina's future government of La Libertad Avanza (LLA) is entertaining the possibility of appointing retired Colonel Daniel Esteban, a Malvinas War Veteran, as Deputy Defense Minister as of Dec. 10, according to Buenos Aires daily Clarín. Esteban would serve under former Juntos por el Cambio (JxC) Vice Presidential candidate Luis Petri, who has been picked to head the Ministry following the now-defunct alliance's support to Javier Milei against Sergio Massa at the Nov. 19 runoff.

Esteban is said to have singlehandedly shot down two helicopters, among other accomplishments for which he was granted a medal for valor in combat. “For 72 hours he retreated with his men under constant harassment by British airmobile troops, reaching his own lines...,” reads the decree with his distinction. “He gave the alert of the British landing and commanded the only ground resistance of the 63 men. They shot down four helicopters,” Clarín wrote.

He remains a General Staff Officer of the Argentine Army but was forced to retire in 2007 after being passed over for promotion to the rank of General. Esteban holds a PhD in Political Science and is an executive and professor at the UADE Business School. His appointment would mean a U-turn from Kirchnerism's unwritten policies of not choosing military officers for Defense Ministry high-rank positions.

Under then-First Lt Esteban's command, “That small fraction, isolated, 90 km from Puerto Argentino, [Stanley] faced the British landing on Soledad [East Falkland] Island and managed to retreat after a march on foot of three days and three nights, in an inhospitable and almost impassable terrain. The professional efficiency of these men achieved all that was expressed with the balance of only 3 wounded. The adversary's casualties were estimated at more than 10 between dead and wounded, 2 helicopters shot down and 2 others damaged,” wrote in Infobae former Argentine Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen Martín Balza, also a 1982 war veteran.