Javier Milei said Argentina would “prevail” in efforts to reclaim the Falklands as he announced plans for sanctions on oil drilling off the islands.
The Argentine president cast Britain as a country in decline during a televised speech that seized on Donald Trump’s recent interventions in the territorial dispute.
He announced plans for a new law that would punish companies drilling for oil in the seas around the Falklands, a move that will increase tension with Andy Burnham.
Mr Milei also announced that Argentina would build a new military base in Tierra del Fuego as part of the country’s growing strategic alliance with Washington.
“In the world, the winds are blowing favourably for our claim right now,” he said in a televised address to the nation on Thursday night.
“Recently, President [Donald] Trump announced that the United States is re-evaluating its historic position regarding the Malvinas.
“Argentina is a country with natural resources, in a position of geographic strategic relevance that is not affected by uncontrolled immigration, the violence this brings, and the problems of national security that today stalk Europe.
“If we evaluate the structural conditions of the United Kingdom, however, they confront multiple crises of a migratory, demographic and economic character that will be difficult to solve. It is clear that they are in decline. However, Argentina is flourishing, and it will prevail.”
Mr Milei is expected to sign a decree to speed up the planned sanctions, which would accelerate enforcement procedures under Argentine law against those participating in oil extraction in territory Argentina considers its own.
Rockhopper Exploration, a British firm, and Navitas, an Israeli company, own the Sea Lion oil field, which contains 1.7 billion barrels of oil, which is more than any field in British waters.
On Friday, the two companies promised to continue the project despite the mounting political pressure and said they did not anticipate any delays to their drilling.
Mr Milei said: “Our national claim is facing a clear and present danger and requires a proportional response. We will not allow it. Argentina will not stand by facing such a situation.
“We will deploy all of our economic and diplomatic tools to dissuade the state and non-state actors who are violating our sovereignty.”
The move follows the US president wading into the Falklands row this week, suggesting he would not help Britain fight an invasion of the islands.
When asked whether the US would “come to the aid” of Britain, Mr Trump said on Thursday: “Your country was not there to help me,” in a reference to his war against Iran. He went on to question whether Britain would have the capacity to defend the islands in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Mr Trump told GB News: “Well, look, I was there when they had the first [Falklands] war. That was a long time ago, and I watched it so carefully. And you comported yourselves very well. You took it back pretty strongly, but it’s a long way away.”
There is increasing speculation that Argentina and the US are discussing a deal to give America access to oil drilled off the coast of the Falklands. In the early hours of Friday, Mr Milei hinted at a change in the US position, which was first reported by The Telegraph.
He said: “Over three years, we’ve established ties with like-minded countries where we have a convergence of interests, and we have confidence today that these same allies will stand by us as we make a peaceful, legitimate claim.
“On these islands, on our sovereignty. We cannot stand by while our resources are taken away and our sovereignty is disrespected.”
Argentina’s ‘sacred’ national cause
Mr Milei added: “We have also received much support recently. President Trump declared that the United States are reassessing their historical position with regard to the Falklands, and that is not empty words because they understand that Argentina is a reliable partner aligned with Western values in a position of strategic value and a valuable ally for decades to come.”
Mr Trump’s remarks attracted particular attention, because of his close relationship with Mr Milei and the growing tensions between Washington and the UK Government.
Mr Milei described Mr Trump’s comments this week as “something very significant” for what he called Argentina’s most important and “sacred” national cause.
On Friday, Kemi Badenoch suggested that Mr Milei had been emboldened in the territorial dispute because of Labour’s plans to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The deal, first struck by Sir Keir Starmer last May, will cede sovereignty of the Indian Ocean archipelago to the east African country. Britain will then pay millions of pounds a year to rent back Diego Garcia island, which hosts a joint UK-US air base.
Andy Burnham is set to continue with the deal, which has been in limbo for months after Donald Trump withdrew his support.
The Conservative Party leader said: “There’s also a lesson here for our sleepy Labour government. The madness of surrendering the Chagos Islands means other countries are now trying their luck.
“If we do not defend our own interests, whether on energy or territory, others will happily exploit that weakness.”
Rockhopper and Navitas plan to start drilling the Sea Lion offshore deposit north of the Falklands within months, potentially sending oil back to Europe and the UK from early 2028. The oil field lies about 137 miles north of the islands and is expected to produce oil for more than 30 years.
In June, Argentina threatened Rockhopper over what it called “unlawful” plans to drill in Sea Lion. It now considers Rockhopper and Navitas to be “clandestine” – or illegal – companies. The London-listed company owns 35 per cent of the oil field, with the remainder owned by Navitas.
On the eve of Mr Milei’s address, Daniel González Casartelli, Argentina’s secretary of energy and mining, was in Washington to discuss energy investment with US oil companies and members of the Trump administration.
Meanwhile, Mr Milei met Sarah Rogers, a senior official in the US state department, at a conservative political forum in Chile.
Repeating the Argentine claim to the islands, Mr Milei said: “We need to recover these islands, which are nationally irrelevant. There is no other path forward. It is the best way of paying tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for this cause.”
After Mr Milei’s speech, Argentina’s intelligence agency posted a satellite image of the Falklands with the words “Estamos mirando”, which translates to: “We are watching.”
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Javier Milei said Argentina would “prevail” in efforts to reclaim the Falklands as he announced plans for sanctions on oil drilling off the islands.
The Argentine president cast Britain as a country in decline during a televised speech that seized on Donald Trump’s recent interventions in the territorial dispute.
He announced plans for a new law that would punish companies drilling for oil in the seas around the Falklands, a move that will increase tension with Andy Burnham.
Mr Milei also announced that Argentina would build a new military base in Tierra del Fuego as part of the country’s growing strategic alliance with Washington.
“In the world, the winds are blowing favourably for our claim right now,” he said in a televised address to the nation on Thursday night.
“Recently, President [Donald] Trump announced that the United States is re-evaluating its historic position regarding the Malvinas.
“Argentina is a country with natural resources, in a position of geographic strategic relevance that is not affected by uncontrolled immigration, the violence this brings, and the problems of national security that today stalk Europe.
“If we evaluate the structural conditions of the United Kingdom, however, they confront multiple crises of a migratory, demographic and economic character that will be difficult to solve. It is clear that they are in decline. However, Argentina is flourishing, and it will prevail.”
Mr Milei is expected to sign a decree to speed up the planned sanctions, which would accelerate enforcement procedures under Argentine law against those participating in oil extraction in territory Argentina considers its own.
Rockhopper Exploration, a British firm, and Navitas, an Israeli company, own the Sea Lion oil field, which contains 1.7 billion barrels of oil, which is more than any field in British waters.
On Friday, the two companies promised to continue the project despite the mounting political pressure and said they did not anticipate any delays to their drilling.
Mr Milei said: “Our national claim is facing a clear and present danger and requires a proportional response. We will not allow it. Argentina will not stand by facing such a situation.
“We will deploy all of our economic and diplomatic tools to dissuade the state and non-state actors who are violating our sovereignty.”
The move follows the US president wading into the Falklands row this week, suggesting he would not help Britain fight an invasion of the islands.
When asked whether the US would “come to the aid” of Britain, Mr Trump said on Thursday: “Your country was not there to help me,” in a reference to his war against Iran. He went on to question whether Britain would have the capacity to defend the islands in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Mr Trump told GB News: “Well, look, I was there when they had the first [Falklands] war. That was a long time ago, and I watched it so carefully. And you comported yourselves very well. You took it back pretty strongly, but it’s a long way away.”
There is increasing speculation that Argentina and the US are discussing a deal to give America access to oil drilled off the coast of the Falklands. In the early hours of Friday, Mr Milei hinted at a change in the US position, which was first reported by The Telegraph.
He said: “Over three years, we’ve established ties with like-minded countries where we have a convergence of interests, and we have confidence today that these same allies will stand by us as we make a peaceful, legitimate claim.
“On these islands, on our sovereignty. We cannot stand by while our resources are taken away and our sovereignty is disrespected.”
Argentina’s ‘sacred’ national cause
Mr Milei added: “We have also received much support recently. President Trump declared that the United States are reassessing their historical position with regard to the Falklands, and that is not empty words because they understand that Argentina is a reliable partner aligned with Western values in a position of strategic value and a valuable ally for decades to come.”
Mr Trump’s remarks attracted particular attention, because of his close relationship with Mr Milei and the growing tensions between Washington and the UK Government.
Mr Milei described Mr Trump’s comments this week as “something very significant” for what he called Argentina’s most important and “sacred” national cause.
On Friday, Kemi Badenoch suggested that Mr Milei had been emboldened in the territorial dispute because of Labour’s plans to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The deal, first struck by Sir Keir Starmer last May, will cede sovereignty of the Indian Ocean archipelago to the east African country. Britain will then pay millions of pounds a year to rent back Diego Garcia island, which hosts a joint UK-US air base.
Andy Burnham is set to continue with the deal, which has been in limbo for months after Donald Trump withdrew his support.
The Conservative Party leader said: “There’s also a lesson here for our sleepy Labour government. The madness of surrendering the Chagos Islands means other countries are now trying their luck.
“If we do not defend our own interests, whether on energy or territory, others will happily exploit that weakness.”
Rockhopper and Navitas plan to start drilling the Sea Lion offshore deposit north of the Falklands within months, potentially sending oil back to Europe and the UK from early 2028. The oil field lies about 137 miles north of the islands and is expected to produce oil for more than 30 years.
In June, Argentina threatened Rockhopper over what it called “unlawful” plans to drill in Sea Lion. It now considers Rockhopper and Navitas to be “clandestine” – or illegal – companies. The London-listed company owns 35 per cent of the oil field, with the remainder owned by Navitas.
On the eve of Mr Milei’s address, Daniel González Casartelli, Argentina’s secretary of energy and mining, was in Washington to discuss energy investment with US oil companies and members of the Trump administration.
Meanwhile, Mr Milei met Sarah Rogers, a senior official in the US state department, at a conservative political forum in Chile.
Repeating the Argentine claim to the islands, Mr Milei said: “We need to recover these islands, which are nationally irrelevant. There is no other path forward. It is the best way of paying tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for this cause.”
After Mr Milei’s speech, Argentina’s intelligence agency posted a satellite image of the Falklands with the words “Estamos mirando”, which translates to: “We are watching.”
Argentina’s intelligence agency posted a satellite image of the Falklands with ‘we are watching’
The sanctions on Falklands oil could become a flashpoint between Mr Burnham and Mr Trump, who are expected to meet for the first time this month.
Asked about Mr Trump’s threat earlier this week, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Falkland Islanders are British with a right to determine their own future. The islanders have expressed their wish to remain a British Overseas Territory, and our commitment to them is unwavering. Their right to self-determination is paramount.”
Ed Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, said the UK’s position was “unwavering” on the Falkland Islands.
He wrote: “The Islands are British and will remain so because that is the overwhelming position of the Islanders.”
Milei’s hardened stance
The speech is the latest high-water mark in Mr Milei’s increasingly strident tone regarding the archipelago. Previously, he was always careful to support Argentina’s claim to the islands while emphasising that the best way to advance the cause was through a combination of diplomacy and wooing the islanders.
That is a far cry from the “Malvinero” tactics of many other Argentine politicians, both on the Left and Right. They often use the islands – and the memory of those fallen in the 1982 conflict – to whip up nationalistic sentiment for political gain.
In addition to the US president’s recent comments on the Falklands, Mr Milei may also be responding to domestic pressures. His presidency is going through its rockiest period yet, with his approval now in the high-30s and disapproval in the low-60s, threatening his chances of being reelected next year.
Although he is widely lauded for slashing inflation and ending Argentina’s chronic fiscal deficit, the cost has been high for ordinary Argentines. The economic recovery is under way, but it has been patchy so far and has failed to reach many of those most affected by Mr Milei’s overhaul.
Meanwhile, he faces a challenge next year from his Right, from Victoria Villarruel, his estranged vice-president, a Falklands hardliner whose father was a commando captain in the 1982 war.
During the address, Mr Milei also said that the islands’ residents had no right to self-determination and called on the country to unite behind the claim to the archipelago.
Islanders voted on their political status and self-determination in a referendum in March 2013. An overwhelming 99.8 per cent voted in favour of remaining a UK Overseas Territory.
*Published first on The Telegraph
By: N. Peter Kramer
