Argentina dismisses its intelligence agency, creates new ones

According to authorities, in the past few years, the FIA was used not for protection of the people, but for internal surveillance

President of Argentina Javier Milei dismissed the Federal Intelligence Agency (FIA), establishing new agencies in its place, the presidential press office announced.

“President Javier Milei ordered to dismiss the FIA based on the results of the internal audit, which started on December 12, 2023. Instead, the national intelligence system will be managed by the state secretariat,” the press office said.

According to the Argentine authorities, in the past few years, the intelligence agency was used not for protection of the people, but for internal surveillance and for “political and ideological persecution.”

The new agency was named the Secretariat of Intelligence (SIDE). This name was previously used for designation of the Argentine intelligence agency until 2015. The SIDE will manage four new agencies – the Argentine Intelligence Service, which will work on “prevention of threats for the country,” ; the National Security Agency, established for prevention of “serious federal crimes” and threats from criminal and terrorist organization ; the Federal Cybersecurity Agency and the Internal Affairs Division, which will perform the audit of other abovementioned agencies.