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This paper examines how Argentina’s Jujuy province responds to US–China competition over lithium access through a polyalignment strategy. Located in the ‘lithium triangle’ containing the world’s largest reserves, Jujuy seeks to position itself as a global lithium hub by engaging multiple actors rather than aligning with either superpower. The study addresses how subnational actors navigate US–China rivalry amid two emerging tensions: the securitisation of lithium through geopolitical polarisation, and green extractivism concerns arising from environmental and social impacts of extraction. Using visual narrative analysis, the research argues that visual politics plays a critical role in Jujuy’s polyalignment by depoliticising lithium extraction in two ways: (1) reducing geopolitical tensions that pressure alignment with either the US or China, and (2) countering criticisms of lithium as green extractivism. These visual narratives help project Jujuy as a reliable, secure lithium supplier while managing risks from geopolitical polarisation and environmental opposition. The paper contributes to understanding polyalignment strategies beyond state-centric approaches and offers insights into how Global South actors respond to superpower rivalry in critical mineral supply chains essential for clean energy transitions.
Saguier et al. (Fri,) studied this question.