As 2024 begins, Argentina has a new President; the effortlessly controversial Javier Milei. The former TV pundit, who has been nicknamed ‘The Madman’, won the Argentinian election last November on controversial promises to abolish the Argentinian central bank, cut social spending, dollarise the economy, and among other things, re-establish Argentina’s “non-negotiable sovereignty over the Falklands.”
The Falkland Islands, known as Las Malvinas in Argentina, is an archipelago in the South Atlantic. It is a British overseas territory, but with a history of disputed ownership that persists to this day. Ever since the Falklands War in the 80s, the stance taken by Milei during his election campaign is a typical one taken by new Argentinian Presidents and Presidential candidates looking to gain the support of the electorate. However, President Milei has already proven to be erratic and extreme, and it remains to be seen whether he is willing to follow through with all the claims he made which led to him to victory in the Argentinian election; the result of which could lead to another war against the United Kingdom.
Another war between the UK and Argentina isn’t guaranteed, however, as Milei has also called Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s Prime Minister during the Falklands War, one of “the greatest leaders in the history of humanity”–unusual praise coming from an Argentinian president. These contradictory statements are not uncommon from Milei, which makes it very difficult to take anything he says too seriously. Max Blain, spokesman for the current Prime Minister in the UK, made it clear that “the Falkland Islands are British” four months before Milei’s election win. Whatever the cause may be, a dispute or conflict over an island with a population of around 3 thousand people must be avoided at all costs.
Argentina is a country mired in dire economic straits, and it has been for years now. It is therefore not surprising to hear that a country with extreme inflation and 4 in 10 citizens living below the poverty line would elect such a radical President like Javier Milei. Unfortunately, however, few beyond those who voted for him believe that he is likely to improve the financial situation as much as he’s likely to improve the issue with the Falkland Islands. Clearly, even if Milei has no intention of getting into a conflict with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, only saying whatever he needed to get into power, there is still a problem that needs a solution. Both Argentina and the United Kingdom are quarrelling out of national pride, not because they actually care for people in the Falklands. This is an attitude that needs to change, and a holistic approach must be taken which will lead to a resolution likely to satisfy all parties involved.
This is no easy feat, as the islands ended up in the hands of multiple powers since the French established a colony there in the 1700s. In the late 20th century, there were talks between the UK and Argentina about granting sovereignty to the islands in the 1960s and 70s. These went nowhere, and Argentina started a war a decade later which ended with the islands under British control. Two referendums on status and sovereignty were held in 1986 and 2013, with island residents voting overwhelmingly to stay in the UK. Yet Argentina hasn’t recognised either of these referendums. Whether the Falkland Islands remain British, are handed over to Argentina, or given their independence, President Milei must do whatever he can to avoid a repeat of the 1982 war.
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