Argentine President Javier Milei delivered a national address Thursday evening reaffirming Argentina's sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands and announcing new enforcement measures against companies operating there.
The 15-minute recorded message, broadcast from the White House (Casa Rosada) with Milei's full cabinet, Chamber of Deputies president Martín Menem, and Senator Patricia Bullrich present, outlined a series of decisions regarding the disputed territory.
"I want to be clear with the world and express the position of the Argentine state: the Malvinas are Argentine, by history and by right. There is no discussion on this matter," Milei said, opening his remarks. He referenced the 1833 British occupation, stating that the United Kingdom "occupied the Malvinas, expelled Argentine authorities and installed a colonial situation that persists to this day."
Milei argued that the islanders, as an implanted population on usurped territory, lack legitimate right to self-determination. He stated that any argument based on referendums held on the islands is invalid, and that Argentina has maintained its sovereignty claim permanently since 1833, citing the nation's constitution.
The president announced he would harden measures under Law 26.659, which penalizes those who fail to recognize Argentine sovereignty and advance exploitation of natural resources. The expanded scope will now include companies providing services to those conducting hydrocarbon exploitation operations.
Milei also announced plans to construct a naval base in Tierra del Fuego as part of the sovereignty assertion strategy.
The address came hours after Milei met with Chilean President José Antonio Kast in Santiago. Following that bilateral meeting, both governments issued a joint statement affirming that Chile's sovereignty over the Strait of Magellan is established by the 1881 Treaty of Limits and the 1984 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, instruments both nations confirmed remain fully in force with definitive character.
Prior to Milei's address, British Ambassador David Cairns defended the United Kingdom's position on the Falkland Islands. In an interview with Cadena 3, Cairns stated that the British government's stance has not changed and that those living on the islands have the right to decide their own future. "The British government is very clear: those who live on the islands have the right to decide their own future," Cairns said. He recalled the 1982 conflict as "very difficult for those living on the islands" but maintained that Britain's current position remains firm on the principle of islander self-determination.
The announcement of Falkland Islands policy measures follows months of coordinated work among different areas of the Argentine state, according to Milei's remarks. The economic dimensions surrounding the archipelago include petroleum, fishing, energy, infrastructure, and new commercial maritime routes, with various projects underway that could modify the islands' economic structure and affect logistics and resource exploitation in the South Atlantic.