Argentina has initiated criminal proceedings against the energy company Navitas Petroleum and its executives for operating in the Falkland Islands, according to a statement from the Argentine presidency.
This action follows pronouncements by Argentine President Javier Milei on Friday, who declared his intention to sanction oil companies engaged in drilling activities within the British overseas territory. The government alleges that the companies violated Argentine law by obtaining hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation licenses from the United Kingdom for operations in the North Falkland Basin. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno is set to file the criminal complaint against Navitas subsidiaries, partners, and their corporate directors.
Milei last week specifically targeted the Sea Lion offshore oil project, operated by Navitas Petroleum with a 65% stake. The president announced measures that could extend penalties to shareholders, directors, and suppliers involved in Falklands oil and gas activities. The Sea Lion field is estimated to hold 1.7 billion barrels of oil.
In his address, Milei asserted that Argentina would "prevail" and reclaim the British territory, which he described as "ours, by history and by right, and they were taken from us." He suggested that "winds of change" favorable to Argentina's claim were blowing, referencing a perceived shift in the United States' historical position following comments from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Milei stated that Trump indicated he would not support Britain if Argentina were to invade again, citing a perceived lack of support for his actions regarding Iran from Sir Keir Starmer.
President Milei declared that Argentina would employ "all the tools of the state: diplomatic, economic, judicial and legal" to impede drilling. While not explicitly mentioning military action, he announced plans for an emergency decree to establish a naval base on Tierra del Fuego, the Argentine coastline nearest to the Falklands. Milei emphasized the urgency, stating, "If we do not act swiftly, in a few months they will have the material capacity to access the oil that lies underneath our sea."
The Falkland Islands have been a point of contention since Argentina's 1982 invasion, which led to a conflict with Britain. A total of 907 people, including 255 British servicemen, were killed in that war.
British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting responded by affirming the UK's "absolute and unshakeable" commitment to the Falklands, suggesting Milei's statements reflected Argentine domestic politics rather than the islands' status. Streeting asserted, "The Falklands are British because Falkland Islanders choose to be British."
Other British political figures offered varied reactions. Lucy Powell, a senior minister, characterized Milei's actions as "simply posturing" ahead of elections. However, former Foreign Office chief Lord McDonald suggested a review of Britain's Falklands policy and opening diplomatic talks with Argentina, citing defense costs and the islands' distance from the UK. Reform UK's Robert Jenrick criticized the current British government's perceived weakness, stating that Argentinians saw them as "too weak to defend our islands."
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch attributed Argentina's threats to the UK government's plans to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. She advised Milei to "build its economy, not threaten others" and warned the "sleepy Labour government" that failure to defend British interests could lead to exploitation by other nations.
Falklands War veteran Simon Weston urged the Prime Minister to engage with Donald Trump to reaffirm that the islands' sovereignty is not open for discussion, drawing a parallel to the controversy surrounding the Chagos Islands. He also expressed skepticism about Argentina's military capacity to threaten the islands physically.