MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fuegian town of Tolhuin wants British-funded radar dismantled

A group of war veterans endorsed the motion

The City Hall of Tolhuin in the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego -which technically includes the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands and the other British Overseas Territories claimed by the South American country- filed a tax execution lawsuit to dismantle a radar installed by the British company LeoLabs in the area, citing violations of local regulations and national sovereignty.

The equipment was deemed a security risk due to its potential military capabilities. Local authorities claim it was never authorized by the city, in addition to having its operations canceled by the federal government in 2023.

Tolhuin Mayor Daniel Harrington emphasized the municipality’s firm stance against foreign interests infringing on Argentine sovereignty, imposing fines, and ordering the radar’s demolition after LeoLabs’ appeal was rejected.

“As Fuegians, we must not allow foreign interests to violate our sovereignty; that is why we have given instructions to move forward with the judicial execution of the fines imposed on this company,” Harrington explained while recalling that the City never granted any permit. “On September 26, 2023, we notified the company, after the hearings and everything, respecting the deadlines. We complied with all the procedure,” he added.

The Río Grande City Council and the local [1982 War] Veterans’ Center have expressed support, with Río Grande offering legal backing as “amicus curiae.”

The federal Undersecretary of Telecommunications and Connectivity cleared the radar's installation unilaterally in November 2022, keeping both the Defense and Foreign Ministries in the dark. When the Defense Ministry noticed these developments, it requested the device's removal.

After the company's appeals were all turned down, Tolhuin now moved on to the execution phase, during which the orders to dismantle the structure must be carried out, it was explained during a joint press conference by authorities from the two municipalities and the veterans' organization.

“Already started this judicial process today, from the Municipality of Rio Grande and together with the War Veterans Center we are going to present ourselves under the legal figure 'amicus curiae' to give our opinion, our support and accompaniment to this decision that has a clear judicial administrative cut by Daniel and the Municipality of Tolhuin,” he said.

“Other issues that have to do with political, institutional, national and provincial, civil and criminal responsibilities are not the object of this proceedings,” he added.

Harrington thanked Río Grande Mayor Martín Perez “for his support to this legal action and for making his legal and technical team available to solve queries regarding municipal regulations and others.”

The installation of the LeoLabs radar was suspended because it entailed enabling an S-Band Ground Station, which was intended to track and monitor objects in the LEO (Low Earth Orbit) environment. National authorities understood that the radar could have a military use for tracking satellites or other objects.