Fires, Foreign Capital & the Isaac Accords Reshape Argentina’s Last Frontier
The story of Patagonia in 2026 is far from concluded. Fires may burn out, but the debates they ignite, about land, water, governance, and foreign influence, will shape the region for decades.
Freddie Ponton
21st Century Wire
The fires started quietly. In early January 2026, a plume of smoke rose over the lenga forests and glacial valleys of Argentine Patagonia. By the time the blazes were fully visible from the air, thousands of hectares had been scorched, rural communities were under threat, and officials acknowledged that some of the fires were deliberate, with accelerants and military-grade devices recovered. Firefighters, aided by aerial units and the army, battled against fierce winds and a landscape already stressed by drought. But these fires were more than an environmental crisis. In towns from Bariloche to Lago Escondido, whispers circulated that foreign actors, including known Zionists. might be exploiting the chaos. Indigenous Mapuche communities and local activists began raising concerns about Israeli nationals, sometimes identified as Israeli soldiers, moving into remote lands, their presence coinciding with government reforms easing foreign ownership of burned and rural properties.
Read Full Article: https://www.thelibertybeacon.com/fires-foreign-capital-the-isaac-accords-reshape-argentinas-last-frontier/
