In the first part of this interview, Guido Torres, a national security expert and executive director of the Irregular Warfare Initiative (IWI), a collaborative space to bridge the gap between academia and military professionals, examined China’s strategic motives behind its expanding presence in Latin America’s space sector. In this second part, Torres delves deeper into the growing threat, exploring how Beijing’s space facilities in the region could potentially support devastating missile strikes from the south. He underscores the urgent need for a unified regional strategy, one grounded in transparency, the peaceful use of space, and responsible governance.
Diálogo: In your article Space, Speed, and Sovereignty, you describe hypersonic weapons as a game-changing threat due to their speed and maneuverability. How, if at all, is China’s space infrastructure in Latin America connected to its hypersonic weapons development, and what are the national and regional security implications?
Guido Torres, executive director of the Irregular Warfare Initiative: It’s more of a theory at this point. Hypersonic glide vehicles work by launching an intercontinental ballistic missile into space, where the warhead detaches into what’s called a “glider.” So, it basically operates like a satellite; it’s in orbit and can stay there until it’s told to do something different. To make that change, you would likely need a telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C) site to send a command and say, “Here are your coordinates to maneuver and launch.” That’s where the potential link to space infrastructure comes in.
Hypersonic glide vehicles are a major threat because of their extreme speed and the current lack of effective defenses. This means a hypersonic missile could potentially approach from the south with devastating effects. There are even reports that China has tested nuclear-tipped hypersonic glide missiles. So that’s a significant threat to national security.
And again, it just goes back to the same sovereignty issue for countries in the Western Hemisphere: Do they want facilities on their soil that could help provide maneuvering and coordinates to a Chinese missile?
Diálogo: Despite China’s growing presence in space infrastructure across the region, these facilities have recently come under increased scrutiny. Last year, for example, the Espacio Lejano Station in Argentina faced suspicion over its potential military and intelligence applications. Meanwhile, Chile suspended a project with China to build a space observatory in the Atacama Desert. Do you think the region is now more aware of the risks involved in such agreements with China?
Torres: I definitely think so. There’s been a lot of reporting and a lot of information out there. Policymakers have brought it up during congressional testimonies, and they’ve engaged their partners in the region on the issue. So yes, there’s definitely more attention on the topic now. However, I think there’s still a lack of real progress, even though we’ve brought up the Espacio Lejano site in Argentina and the recent situation in Chile.
In Argentina’s case, going back to the geopolitical aspect, although they might see this as putting them in a difficult position between two great powers, they also have other priorities. Their domestic economy is one of them, and China plays a role in that. So, they have to weigh those factors and decide what they can actually do, especially when you’re talking about a deal that’s, for example, a 50 year lease.
Chile is a little more interesting. Yes, they’ve run into issues, but to your point, those issues aren’t directly related to space or security, they’re more about bureaucratic processes. In this case, I believe the Catholic University signed an agreement with concessions rather than going through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
So, it’s really more of a bureaucratic issue than a security one. That said, I would hope the Chileans, being pragmatic by nature, would look at the bigger picture, like what we’ve been discussing here, and assess it from a security perspective as well. That means looking at their vulnerabilities and deciding what kind of language they should embed in any future space-related agreements to protect themselves.
Diálogo: What would a practical framework for strong bilateral and regional cooperation on space security look like, and what role should Latin American defense institutions play in shaping and leading it?
Torres: I think everything should be underpinned, though it’s a bit dated, by the Outer Space Treaty as the foundation.
Today, 10 Latin American countries have signed the Artemis Accords. These are non-binding agreements, but they emphasize transparency, the peaceful use of space, and the establishment of international norms. They outline principles that align well with responsible space behavior.
Latin America also recently established a regional space organization. This creates a real opportunity for the region to come together, adopt the same principles from the Artemis Accords, uphold the spirit of the Outer Space Treaty, and ensure that partners abide by them. That means no weaponizing space, no anti-satellite tests that create debris, and no actions that put everyone’s resources and capabilities at risk. If the region can unite around these principles, it would provide the framework they need.
Another critical point is governance. Across Latin America, space programs are managed differently, some by the military, others purely civilian, and some as hybrids. Deciding who has the authority to make agreements is just as important as the agreements themselves. Having clear lines of responsibility, a solid legal foundation, and a plan for sustaining agreements over the long term is essential to ensuring their effectiveness.
Diálogo: What is the core message, or call to action, you want leaders and military officials in Latin America and the Caribbean to take from your recent research and analysis on this topic?
Torres: Space is not going away. Once the exclusive domain of governments, it is now open to everyone, and commercial space has proliferated rapidly. So, my message for the region is to prioritize transparency, clarity, and the peaceful use of space. Make sure national frameworks are underpinned with that message and that they remain solid and sustainable across different administrations.
