No Solution in Sight, the UK Controls the Malvinas: Milei

May 7, 2024 Hour: 1:16 pm

During an interview with the BBC on Monday, Argentine President Javier Milei admitted that the Malvinas Islands, which have been claimed by Argentina as part of its territory since 1833, are “in the hands of the United Kingdom” and that there is no “instant solution” to the dispute.

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The libertarian politician also acknowledged that it could take decades before attempting to recover the islands and stressed that Argentina does not “seek conflict” with the United Kingdom.

“If that territory is now in the hands of the United Kingdom, they have the right to it. I don’t see it as a provocation,” added Milei, whose stance contrasts with that of previous Argentine leaders who demanded that the UK open negotiations for the return of the islands.

To maintain the appearance of commitment to historical territorial claims, Milei used an ambivalent discourse stating that he wants the Malvinas Islands to be Argentine “within the framework of peace.”

En menos de 2 minutos, Milei desconoció la Causa Malvinas, cedió a las pretensiones británicas y exclamó su admiración por Thatcher, la asesina de los 323 Héroes del Crucero ARA Belgrano. No lo hizo en cualquier lado, lo hizo ante la televisión estatal inglesa. Vomitivo. pic.twitter.com/RHV6d8QXRK

— César Biondini (@BiondiniCesar)
May 6, 2024

The text reads, “In less than 2 minutes, Milei ignored the Malvinas cause, gave in to British pretensions, and exclaimed his admiration for Thatcher, the murderer of the 323 heroes of the ARA Belgrano Cruise. He didn’t do it anywhere. He did it on English state television. Vomitive.”

“We are not going to relinquish our sovereignty, nor are we going to seek conflict with the United Kingdom,” said the Argentine President, who refused to set a deadline for the recovery of the Malvinas Islands, arguing that it is a “long-term negotiation.”

When asked why the UK would agree to this, he said, “They might not want to negotiate today. At some later point they might want to. Many positions have changed over time.”

Previously, however, on April 2, during the 42nd anniversary of the 1982 war between Argentina and Great Britain, the far-right politician promised a “roadmap” for the Malvinas Islands to return to his country’s sovereignty.

Nos desayunamos con una noticia de la BBC que cuenta que Milei afirma que “las Malvinas siguen siendo británicas”.

En la tarde, Milei posa orgulloso abrazando la bandera de Israel, luciendo detrás suyo la bandera de los Estados Unidos.

En la primer cláusula transitoria de… pic.twitter.com/MindKqvrq0

— Alberto Fernández (@alferdez)
May 6, 2024

Former Argentine President Alberto Fernandez’ text reads, “We had breakfast with a BBC news story telling us that Milei affirms that ‘the Malvinas are still British’. In the afternoon, Milei proudly poses hugging the Israeli flag, displaying the flag of the United States behind him.

Our Constitution’s first transitional clause states that ‘the Argentine Nation ratifies its legitimate and imprescriptible sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands… because they are an integral part of the national territory’.

Milei systematically violates our constitution? When will he respect our constitution? When will he embrace our flag? When will he respect us as a people?

Now, departing from his own previous words, Milei criticizes politicians who “beat their chests demanding sovereignty over the islands, but with no results.”

During the interview with the BBC, the Argentine President once again praised Margaret Thatcher, who led the British Government when the United Kingdom went to war with Argentina and ordered the sinking of the cruiser General Belgrano, resulting in the death of 323 Argentine soldiers on board.

When asked if he still admired Thatcher, Milei said that “criticizing someone for their nationality or race is very intellectually precarious. I have listened to many speeches by Margaret Thatcher. She was brilliant. So, what’s the problem?”

The Malvinas War ended in June 1982 with the surrender of the Argentine Military Junta. In this conflict, 255 British military personnel, three islanders, and 649 Argentine military personnel died.