A sharp statement by Argentine Vice President Victoria Villarruel has reignited the long-standing territorial dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas).
In a post on X, Villarruel effectively denied the islanders’ right to self-determination, asserting that the question of sovereignty concerns only two states — Argentina and the United Kingdom.
“Today the Malvinas are more Argentine than ever. The discussion of sovereignty over our islands is a matter between states, so the United Kingdom must engage in bilateral negotiations with Argentina over our claim, which we uphold on legal, historical and geographical grounds,” the Vice President wrote.
She referred to the local residents (Kelpers) as “English people living on Argentine territory,” adding: “If you feel English — go back to your country thousands of kilometres away. They are not part of this discussion between states.”
The statement came amid reports in the British press about an alleged leaked Pentagon memorandum discussing a possible shift in the US position on the Falklands issue, further heightening tensions between London and Buenos Aires.
In the 2013 referendum, Falkland Islands residents voted almost unanimously (99.8%) to retain their current status as a British Overseas Territory. The UK consistently upholds the principle of the right to self-determination, while Argentina regards the islands as its territory, occupied since 1833, and rejects the applicability of self-determination to what it calls a “transplanted population.”
Villarruel’s statement has already provoked a sharp reaction in the UK and on the islands themselves. Many commentators have interpreted it as a direct denial of the Falkland Islanders’ wishes and an attempt to return to the hard-line rhetoric that preceded the Javier Milei administration.
No official comment from the UK Foreign Office or the Falkland Islands Government has yet been issued, though sources in London indicate that the United Kingdom’s position remains unchanged: the sovereignty of the islands cannot be discussed without taking into account the wishes of their inhabitants.
The Falklands dispute remains one of the world’s longest-running and most emotionally charged territorial conflicts.