On Tuesday, Argentine President Javier Milei celebrated the signing of an agreement to purchase 24 F-16 fighter jets from the Danish Army.
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"The task we are carrying out is only possible because I am accompanied by a cabinet with extremely talented human beings," Milei told Defense Minister Luis Petri, who was at the Skrydstrup Air Base in Denmark.
"This is also possible thanks to this wonderful cabinet of which you are a part. Thank you very much and, as appropriate, the libertarian rallying cry: long live freedom, damn it!" he added.
The Argentine President had planned to travel to Denmark to meet with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and celebrate the signing of the purchase agreement. However, he suspended his trip after the incidents between Iran and Israel.
Defense Minister Petri's text reads, "From today, we Argentines once again have forces from the sky to protect us. Under the leadership of President Javier Milei and with the support of allies such as Denmark and the U.S., Argentina acquires 24 F-16 combat aircraft, marking a milestone in its defense and strengthening its Air Force to preserve sovereignty and freedom."
Instead, Petri traveled to Denmark, from where he informed Milei of the successful signing of the agreement with Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen.
According to the official presidential speech, the acquisition of the F-16s marks "a milestone" in Argentina's defense and strengthens its Air Force to "preserve sovereignty and freedom."
The transaction has an approximate cost of 2.1 billion Danish kroner, or about 280 million euros, according to data from the Ministry of Defense.
"I am very pleased that the Danish F-16s, which have served us very well over the years and have been well maintained and technologically updated, will be used by the Argentine Air Force," Poulsen said in a statement.
"With the deal, we strengthen defense cooperation between Denmark and Argentina, while Argentina joins the global family of F-16s," he added, recalling that Denmark is about to replace its fleet with new F-35 models.
The statement explained that the sale had been negotiated in close coordination with the Washington government, which has given its approval for the transaction of the U.S.-made fighters.