Argentina Renews Commitment to Falklands Sovereignty in Latest Vow

Argentina has reiterated its commitment to reclaiming sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, renewing its vow amid ongoing tensions with the UK. Learn more about Argentina’s stance and the international reactions.

Argentina has vowed to reclaim the Falkland Islands, an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean that has been a focal point of territorial contention with the UK for nearly two centuries. This declaration followed London’s recent decision to return one of its overseas territories, the Chagos Islands, to Mauritius on Thursday.

Argentinian Foreign Minister Diana Mondino later posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) to celebrate London’s decision to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean back to Mauritius, a move that followed decades of negotiations.

Mondino wrote, “We are pleased to see this move forward and the conclusion of outdated practices,” seemingly alluding to the UK maintaining control over certain territories from its colonial era.

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She stated, “We will reclaim full sovereignty over our Malvinas. The Malvinas were, are, and always will be Argentine.”

The contested group of islands, referred to as Las Islas Malvinas in Argentina, is situated in the South Atlantic approximately 600 kilometers from the Argentine mainland. Buenos Aires asserts sovereignty over these islands, arguing they were included in its territory when Argentina declared independence from Spain in 1816. The United Kingdom has governed the archipelago since 1833. In 1982, a ten-week conflict erupted between Argentina and the UK regarding control of these islands; nearly 1,000 lives were lost before it concluded with a British victory.

Falklands Governor Alison Blake posted on X on Thursday, stating that the UK remains “steadfastly committed” to defending its sovereignty over the islands. She further commented that the historical contexts of the Falklands and Chagos are “distinctly different.”

The Legislative Assembly of the Falklands released a statement highlighting that in a 2013 referendum, the approximately 3,600 local residents opted to remain under British governance.

In May, Argentine President Javier Milei pledged to reclaim the islands through diplomatic means, acknowledging that regaining sovereignty from the UK might take decades. In April, during the 42nd anniversary of the Falklands War, he promised a “roadmap” for making the islands part of Argentina again.