Conflict in the Senate Over Foreign Land Ownership

The ruling coalition is reportedly experiencing internal friction as the Argentine Senate prepares to debate one of the most sensitive reforms of President Javier Milei's administration.

According to political reports, on July 16, 2026, an internal crisis erupted within the ruling party due to a WhatsApp message exchange between Vice President Victoria Villarruel (who acts as President of the Senate) and the Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich. The conflict reportedly centered around a Senate session debating the Private Property Inviolability Law, an initiative promoted by President Milei and government official Federico Sturzenegger.

Sources indicate that this message exchange occurred during a unique national context: the massive popular celebration following Argentina's historic victory over England in the 2026 World Cup semifinals. While the country's attention was focused on football, legislative activity and underlying political tensions continued unabated.

What Does the Private Property Inviolability Law Propose?

The bill debated in the Senate on July 16, 2026, reportedly aims to profoundly modify the regulations governing land ownership in Argentina. For a foreigner, it is important to note that Argentina is a vast country with massive agricultural resources, making land ownership a highly sensitive political and economic issue. According to reports, the proposal seeks to:

• Repeal Law 26.737, which currently establishes a 15% cap on foreign ownership of rural lands.
• Eliminate the limit of 1,000 hectares (about 2,471 acres) for the purchase of rural estates by foreign buyers.
• Permit summary or rapid evictions to speed up legal processes.
• Repeal a protection clause that prevents the privatization of lands affected by fires for 60 and 30 years, respectively.

The Context of Foreign-Owned Lands in Argentina

To understand the magnitude of this debate, it is key to look at the current data. It is estimated that 13 million hectares of Argentine land are already owned by foreign entities. Among the main holders are the Benetton Group, with 920,000 hectares; the Lewis family, with 38,000 hectares; and IRSA/Arauca, a company that controls 27% of the land in the northeastern province of Misiones.

In response to this situation, the main opposition coalition, Unión por la Patria (UxP), has reportedly proposed maintaining the 15% cap but transferring the control and administration of these lands to the individual provinces, offering an alternative to the federal government's project.

Source: Information compiled from Imago News and data reported by La Izquierda Diario, verified as of July 16, 2026.