Milei & Federal Police: FBI-Inspired Powers
Argentina’s Federal Police are gaining meaningful new powers, sparking debate over freedoms. President Milei’s decree grants expanded authority, including increased digital surveillance, mirroring the FBI model. This move allows officers to detain suspects for up to 10 hours without prior judicial approval and conduct searches without warrants. These controversial police powers are being implemented amid concerns from critics who fear the erosion of rights. The federal police now have the green light to monitor online activity. News Directory 3 provides a deep dive into the specifics of the decree,analyzing its impact on Argentina. What are the long-term implications of these changes, and how will civil liberties be affected by this shift towards FBI-inspired standards? Discover what’s next …
Argentina Expands Federal Police Powers, Cites FBI as Model
Updated June 18, 2025
Buenos Aires — Argentine President Javier Milei has broadened the authority of the federal police, granting them expanded powers regarding control, searches, and weapon usage. The decree, enacted Tuesday, also enhances the force’s digital surveillance capabilities, mirroring the structure of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to Milei.
The decree, published in the Official Journal, took effect the day before a buenos Aires event supporting opposition leader Cristina kirchner, who began serving a six-year sentence under house arrest Tuesday.the new police powers allow federal officers to detain suspects for up to 10 hours without judicial authorization if an offense is suspected, according to the decree.
the updated regulations permit searches of individuals, personal belongings, and vehicles on public roads without prior judicial approval.Furthermore, the decree states that officers “can conspicuously make use of their weapons to ensure the appropriate defense of people or rights of third parties or their own.”
The federal police are now authorized to monitor “digital public spaces, such as open social networks, public websites and other open sources” without judicial oversight. Milei stated that Argentina will “learn from the United States, we will learn from Israel” and intends to “align with FBI standards,” investing accordingly.
“We will have a federal police force wich will no longer focus on street patrols, as do local fonts, but on the dismantling of criminal organizations,” Milei said.
The NGO ”Coordination against police and institutional repression” (Correpi) condemned the decree, calling it “the annihilation of democratic freedoms, rights and historical guarantees of the Argentinian people.”
What’s next
The implementation of these expanded powers will be closely watched by civil rights groups and international observers, as Argentina navigates the balance between security and individual liberties.