The secretary of Malvinas, Antarctica and the South Atlantic in the Argentine Foreign Ministry, Guillermo Carmona, celebrated this Wednesday as a “historical event” that the flight that connects the Chilean city of Punta Arenas with Malvinas and that makes a stopover in Río Gallegos, returns to operate. capital of Santa Cruz, emphasizing that this means of communication will allow “Argentines to travel to the islands”.
“The reestablishment of the flight is very important because it is a historical fact. It is something that has great importance for the Argentines who want to go to Malvinas,” Carmona said in statements made this morning to Radio 10.
The secretary’s statements come after the announcement of the reestablishment of those flights that connect Chile and Argentina with the Malvinas and that are operated by the Chilean airline Latam.
“The Argentine government had demanded in March of this year the return of these aerial communications after two years of unilateral suspension by the British authorities that began with the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic,” he specified.
Carmona stated that these flights were “the only ones that still did not operate after such a long time” of suspension and announced that next “July 2″ the first of these trips to the islands will be made as long as the sale of tickets takes place”.
“It is very important for us Argentines that this line of communication be maintained so that the families of the fallen can visit the Darwin cemetery. Also for veterans who want to revisit the place where they fought. This also comes to resolve the situation of those stranded in the Malvinas, especially Chileans, who have not been able to return to their country since the beginning of the pandemic,” he pondered.
On the other hand, Carmona maintained that there are still claims against the United Kingdom, linked to “immigration restrictions or the permanence of Argentine citizens on the islands.”
It is something quite painful for us the fact of having to go to the islands with a passport when it comes to our national territory. These are issues that are part of a process that the national authorities are trying to reverse,” Carmona stressed.
On Tuesday the authorization of flights to Malvinas from Punta Arenas was confirmed as of July 2 Through an announcement made by Latam, with a schedule that includes flights between the Chilean city and the islands for days 2, 23 and 30.
To this are added flights for July 9 and 16 between Punta Arenas, Río Gallegos and Malvinas.
