Ministerio de Defensa | |
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![]() Libertador Building, headquarters | |
Ministry overview | |
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Formed | 1854 |
Preceding Ministry |
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Jurisdiction | Government of Argentina |
Headquarters | Libertador Building, Buenos Aires |
Annual budget | $ 1,277,651,274,000 (2024) (USD 1.5 billion) [1] |
Minister responsible | |
Child agencies | |
Website | argentina.gob.ar/defensa |
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The Ministry of Defense (Spanish : Ministerio de Defensa; abbrevriated MINDEF) of Argentina is a ministry of the national executive power that oversees and advises on matters of national defense, including overseeing the Argentine Armed Forces.
The Ministry of Defense is one of the oldest ministries in the Argentine government, having existed continuously since the formation of the first Argentine executive in 1854, in the presidency of Justo José de Urquiza (then known as the Ministry of War). The incumbent minister is Luis Petri, who has served since 10 December 2023 in the cabinet of Javier Milei.
Traditionally the minister of Defense, as the Joint chiefs of Staff (Spanish: Estado Mayor Conjunto) which traces back its origin to 1948 had a minor role in all armed forces activities, relegating key decisions to the respectives chiefs of staff. [2]
A major change came into effect on 12 June 2006 when President Néstor Kirchner brought into effect the Defense Law, which had been passed in 1988 as a means to modernize the doctrine of the armed forces and define their role, although successive governments had failed to put it into effect.
The law states that the armed forces will only be used against foreign aggression, and reduces the powers of the heads of the armed services, centralizing whole operational and acquisitions decisions under the authority of the minister of Defense through the Armed Forces Joint General Staff emphasizing Jointness [3]
The Military Forces of Colombia are the unified armed forces of the Republic of Colombia. They consist of the Colombian Army, the Colombian Navy and the Colombian Aerospace Force. The National Police of Colombia, although technically not part of the military, is controlled and administered by the Ministry of National Defence, and national conscription also includes service in the National Police, thus making it a de facto gendarmerie and a branch of the military. The President of Colombia is the military's commander in chief, and helps formulate defense policy through the Ministry of National Defence, which is in charge of day-to-day operations.
The Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic are the combined armed forces of Argentina. It is controlled by the Commander-in-Chief and a civilian Minister of Defense. In addition to the Army, Navy and Air Force, there are two security forces, controlled by the Ministry of Security, which can be mobilized on occasion of an armed conflict: the National Gendarmerie, a gendarmerie used to guard borders and places of strategic importance; and the Naval Prefecture, a coast guard used to protect internal major rivers and maritime territory.
The Ministry of Defence is the government ministry responsible for safeguarding national security on land, sea and air. It exercises command over the Peruvian Armed Forces composed of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. As of 13 February 2024, the current defence minister is Walter Astudillo.
The Ministry of National Defense is the cabinet-level administrative office in charge of "maintaining the independence and sovereignty" of Chile. It is also charged with planning, directing, coordinating, executing, controlling and informing the defense policies formulated by the President of Chile. The minister supervises all the Chilean armed forces. It is Chile's ministry of defence.
The Ministry of Defence (MINISDEF) is the department of the Government of Spain responsible for planning, developing and carrying out the general guidelines of the Government about the defence policy and the managing of the military administration. It is the administrative and executive body of the Spanish Armed Forces.
The Ministry of Justice and Law, is the national executive ministry of the Government of Colombia responsible for the administration of law and justice, equivalent to the justice ministries of other countries.
The Armed Forces General Staff, or EMGFA, is the supreme military body of Portugal. It is responsible for the planning, command and control of the Portuguese Armed Forces.
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the highest-ranking military officer in the Spanish Armed Forces and is the principal military advisor to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence, the National Defence Council and the National Security Council. It is the fourth military authority of the country after the Monarch, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence because the Secretary of State for Defence and the Under-Secretary of Defence do not have military authority.
The Secretariat of the Interior of Argentina is a secretariat of the national executive power that manages issues pertaining to domestic politics such as immigration and co-ordination between the federal government and the governments of the provinces of Argentina.
The Ministry of Justice of Argentina is a ministry of the national executive power tasked with enforcing of the law and administration of justice.
The Chief of Staff of the Army (JEME) is a military office held by a four-star general in the Spanish Army. Because of this, the JEME is the principal advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff (JEMAD) on ground warfare and it is also an advisor to the Minister of Defence, the Secretary of State for Defence (SEDEF) and the Under-Secretary of Defence (SUBDEF).
The Defence Staff, based in Madrid, is an organ of the Ministry of Defence that operates as an auxiliary to the Chief of the Defense Staff (JEMAD) within the organic structure of the Spanish Armed Forces and in a military hierarchical position of dependence on the former.
The Secretary of State for Defence (SEDEF) is the second-highest-ranking official in the Ministry of Defence of Spain. The SEDEF is a civilian which is appointed by the King with the advice of the Defence Minister. In spite of being the second authority of the Ministry, it is behind the Chief of the Defence Staff as far as military control is concerned.
The Chief of the Joint Staff of Defence is the professional head of the Chilean Armed Forces. The Chief is responsible for the administration and the operational control of the Chilean military.
The Chief of the Joint Defence Staff (JEMACON) is a high-ranking military officer. The JEMACON is the closest assistant and advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff and it is appointed by the Monarch at the request of the Minister of Defence.
The Ministry of National Defense of Uruguay is a ministry of the Government of Uruguay that is responsible for coordinating and executing all civil and military activities aimed at preserving the sovereignty, independence and the peace of the country. It is the administrative and executive body of the Armed Forces of Uruguay.
The Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development of Argentina was a ministry of the national executive power that oversaw the government's policy on environmental issues and promotes sustainable development.
The Chief of the General Staff is the professional head of the Guatemalan Armed Forces. They are responsible for the administration and operational control of the military. It is the highest achievable commissioned officer rank that may be attained in the Guatemalan Armed Forces.
The Defence Staff is an advisory body of the Ministry of National Defense of Uruguay on issues related to the planning and coordination of activities carried out by the Armed Forces. Created from Law 18,650 of February 19, 2010, its current headquarters was inaugurated in 2011, and is located on Avenida Luis Alberto de Herrera at its intersection with Monte Caseros St.
Rodolfo Daniel Pereyra Martínez is a Uruguayan Air Force general of the air who serves as Chief of the Defence Staff of the Uruguayan Armed Forces since April 7, 2022.