Argentina's Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno has reignited the dispute over the Falkland Islands, publishing an essay that labels the British territory an "illegitimate occupation" and its inhabitants "artificially implanted." The commentary, appearing in the newspaper La Nacion, comes just days before Argentina's national football team is set to play England in a World Cup semi-final match.
Players from the Argentine team celebrated their victory over Switzerland, which secured their spot in the semi-final, with chants referencing the Falklands, known in Argentina as Las Malvinas. The victory chant included the lines, "For the Malvinas, For Diego, For Leo's (Messi's) last one." This follows a pattern of nationalist sentiment, as seen during the 2022 World Cup where a similar chant was used.
Quirno, a minister in President Javier Milei's government, asserted in his op-ed that "time does not transform an illegitimate occupation into sovereignty." He further stated that "no vote organised unilaterally by the UK can have legal effect" and that "we must not fall into the referendum trap." He reiterated Argentina's claim, asserting, "Our claim will not be relinquished, resigned, or abandoned. The Falkland Islands are history, territory, sea, memory, and destiny."
The 1982 conflict over the islands, which resulted in 649 Argentine and 255 British military deaths, remains a sensitive historical point. The 2013 referendum in the Falklands saw 99.8% of islanders vote to remain a British Overseas Territory. A 2016 census indicated that 43% of the archipelago's population were born there, with many tracing their ancestry to Welsh and Scottish immigrants who arrived after British rule was asserted in 1833.
British politicians have responded to Quirno's remarks. Shadow Foreign Minister Priti Patel described the comments as "offensive as they are wrong," emphasizing that Falkland Islanders are "proudly British" and their "right to self-determination is absolute." She added that "no amount of revisionist rhetoric from Buenos Aires will change that. Britain will always stand firmly with the Falkland Islanders."
This is not the first time this year that the Argentine government has publicly asserted its claim to the islands. President Milei previously stated that the Falklands "were, are and will always be Argentine."
Amid the heightened political tensions, police in Atlanta are reportedly preparing for crowd management during the World Cup match due to the "emotionally charged" fan base. Reports of minor disturbances between Argentine and English supporters have already surfaced.
The song chanted by the players is a modified version of "Muchachos, Esta Noche Me Emborracho," a popular Argentine song that became an anthem during the team's 2022 World Cup victory.