In this event hosted by the Centre for Grand Strategy, Juan Battaleme will discuss Argentina’s Defence Modernisation: Security Challenges in Latin America.

Speaker: Juan Battaleme 

Chair: Iñaki Martinez Soria

The event will focus on Argentina’s recent defence modernisation efforts, from the purchase of 24 F-16s to Denmark through the US Foreign Military Sales program, to the potential acquisition of Scorpene submarines from France. The discussion will also touch upon the emerging security challenges in Latin America, the threats to regional peace and stability, and the opportunities under President’s Milei foreign policy recalibration, including Argentina’s bid for a partnership with NATO.

About the Speaker:

Juan Battaleme currently serves as the Secretary of International Defence Affairs of Argentina, having previously worked as the Academic Director of the Argentinean Council of International Relations, and a Professor at the Argentinean Naval War College and Air Force Staff College. He is also a Professor in International Relations and Security at UCEMA University and the University of Buenos Aires.

Iñaki Martinez Soria, a political scientist and Chevening Scholar from Argentina, is currently pursuing an MA in Intelligence and International Security at King’s College London. He also holds a strategic advisory role at LIA Aerospace, a UK-based space solutions company. After working in multiple Argentine government departments, he consulted for a US private intelligence firm and founded eWire, a media tech startup providing crowd-sourced verification and saturation coverage to breaking news stories.