Guido Torres Warns of Strategic Risks in China’s Expanding Space Presence in South America

Executive Director Guido Torres was featured in Expediente Público (link in spanish) for his analysis of China’s growing influence in Latin America’s space domain. In the interview, Torres raised urgent concerns about the long-term implications of opaque agreements between China and countries like Argentina and Chile, including the construction and operation of space installations with limited host-nation oversight.

“These are not just scientific ventures,” Torres cautioned. “They may be framed as academic or commercial, but without transparency, access, or reciprocal control, they risk undermining sovereignty and regional stability.”

Torres pointed to China’s deep space station in Neuquén, Argentina—operated by the Chinese military—and plans for a high-resolution telescope in Chile as examples of dual-use infrastructure that could easily shift from peaceful research to military applications. He emphasized the need for Latin American nations to align their space cooperation agreements with the principles outlined in the Artemis Accords, which stress transparency and peaceful use.

The article also highlighted Torres’s broader warning: in the context of rising geopolitical tensions, space infrastructure cannot be separated from national security concerns. “You can’t simultaneously denounce ASAT weapons and militarization of space while partnering with the very actors responsible for those actions,” he said.

Torres reiterated the risk of dual-use technologies serving as platforms for surveillance, targeting, or coordination of advanced weapons systems, especially in times of crisis.

His commentary continues IWI’s mission to illuminate irregular competition and strategic influence in underexamined domains, especially where infrastructure, access, and control intersect.

Photo by Svetogor Maliugin on Unsplash