Argentina's New Legislative Push Threatens Indigenous Land Rights

• The Argentine Senate has approved a bill facilitating expedited evictions, heightening risks for indigenous communities across the country.
• Legislative changes threaten approximately 1,300 communities by removing previous legal protections established during territorial emergencies.
• Indigenous organizations report that property disputes are increasingly tied to foreign extraction interests, including lithium mining and data center development.

Legal and Social Impact

• In December 2024, the administration of Javier Milei repealed the decree extending Law 26.160, which had temporarily suspended eviction proceedings.
• Expedited evictions are frequently accompanied by criminal charges against ancestral authorities and affected families.
• Violent police operations, such as the one in Humahuaca (Jujuy) on August 10, have forcibly displaced communities to clear land for industrial use.

Economic Interests and Land Grabs

• Foreign entities currently control vast tracts of land, including nearly 1.8 million hectares in Salta province.
• Multinational corporations are seeking land for infrastructure to support AI development, while lithium reserves attract significant foreign capital.
• Subtle displacement tactics include restricting access to water services, grazing rights, and agricultural land to force