In short
- President Javier Milei’s office said on Saturday it was launching sanctions proceedings against 45 people and companies over the Falkland Islands, without identifying those targeted.
- Israel-owned Navitas Petroleum and UK-based Rockhopper Exploration are due to work at the Sea Lion oilfield off the Falkland Islands coast within two years, according to Milei’s account.
- US President Donald Trump said he was “re-evaluating” the US position on the Falklands and that the islands were “a long way away”.
- Falkland Islanders voted almost unanimously in 2013 to remain a British overseas territory.
- Milei faces a presidential election next year, with his estranged vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, attacking his diplomatic approach on the Falklands.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei has launched sanctions proceedings against 45 people and companies over the Falkland Islands, his office said on Saturday, after he used a national address to press Argentina’s claim to the territory and welcomed US President Donald Trump’s talk of re-evaluating Washington’s position.
What did Milei announce?
Milei’s office said on X that it was opening sanctions proceedings against 45 people and companies. The statement did not identify those targeted, and it is not yet clear what impact the measures will have. In his address, Milei said Argentina “cannot allow” companies to “appropriate the oil reserves under our sea”. “We will not stand by with our arms folded,” he added.
Which companies are working off the Falklands?
Israel-owned Navitas Petroleum and UK-based Rockhopper Exploration are due to carry out work at the Sea Lion oilfield off the Falkland Islands coast within two years. The planned work has given the dispute new impetus. Argentina has separately moved to file criminal charges over Falklands oil drilling.
What has Donald Trump said about the Falklands?
Trump said he was “re-evaluating” the US position on the islands. Washington has traditionally been neutral while recognising British rule over the territory, though President Ronald Reagan provided material support to Margaret Thatcher during the 1982 Falklands War. Trump told GB News that the “Special Relationship” was eroded by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer when the UK chose not to join the US war on Iran. “You weren’t there to help me,” Trump said, adding that the Falklands were “a long way away”. Falkland Islanders voted almost unanimously in 2013 to remain a British overseas territory.
Why is the timing sensitive for Milei?
Milei faces a presidential election next year, and his estranged vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, has presented herself as a tougher defender of national sovereignty, attacking his diplomatic approach on the Falklands. Milei has cast Argentina as a “trustworthy partner” to Washington and described Trump’s comments as “winds of change”. The two leaders are close allies in a vision of the Western Hemisphere that Trump calls the “Don-roe Doctrine”, a play on the 19th Century Monroe Doctrine.
What is Argentina’s historical claim?
Milei told Argentines the islands “rightfully belong” to Argentina, saying Britain invaded and colonially occupied them in 1833 and wrested the territory from Argentina’s hands. The UK government says European powers interchanged control over the islands during the 17th and 18th centuries. In December 1831, an Argentine settlement was largely dismantled by the US warship USS Lexington amid a dispute over fishing and sealing rights, after which many inhabitants left; an Argentine garrison that arrived in 1832 was expelled by the British when they reoccupied the land in 1833.
Argentina’s footballers have also carried the cause: at this summer’s World Cup, players celebrated a win over England holding a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” — the Falklands are Argentine. Off the pitch, Lionel Messi reached a preliminary deal for a majority stake in the Spanish club Eldense.
Frequently asked questions
What sanctions has Argentina announced over the Falklands?
President Javier Milei’s office said on Saturday that it was launching sanctions proceedings against 45 people and companies. It did not identify those targeted, and the impact is not yet clear.
Why does Argentina claim the Falkland Islands?
Milei says Britain invaded and colonially occupied the islands in 1833, taking them from Argentina. The UK government says European powers interchanged control during the 17th and 18th centuries and that an Argentine garrison was expelled when Britain reoccupied the land in 1833.
Has Donald Trump changed the US position on the Falklands?
Trump said he was “re-evaluating” the US position on the islands. Washington has traditionally been neutral while recognising British rule over the territory.
Which companies are working off the Falkland Islands?
Israel-owned Navitas Petroleum and UK-based Rockhopper Exploration are due to work at the Sea Lion oilfield within two years, according to Milei’s account of the dispute.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. City Skyline — Matt Bango / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)
