Argentina Criticizes British Military Drills in Falklands

Map of the Falkland Islands, located off of the coast of Argentina.

The Argentinian government denounced upcoming British military drills in the Falklands on October 9. Ahead of exercises planned to take place on October 15-29, the government lodged a formal complaint with the British embassy, saying, “Argentina rejects the holding of these exercises in Argentine territory illegally occupied by the United Kingdom."

British military exercises in the Falklands provoked a similar reaction from the Argentine government in 2016. The British government responded by stating that the exercises were simply routine. As in 2016, the recent military exercises are likely to be held as planned, regardless of Argentine concerns.

The Falklands, known by many in Argentina as the Malvinas, are a set of islands located around 435 miles from the Argentine coast. The debate over who has control over the Falklands traces back the Argentine-British war fought in 1982. While Britain won that war, Argentina has yet to relinquish its claims to the islands, arguing that it inherited the islands from Spain after gaining its independence in the 1800s. Falkland residents themselves, however, tend to think of themselves as under British control, with a majority voting to remain a part of Britain in a 2013 referendum.

The current president of Argentina, Mauricio Macri, has focused less on the Falklands question than his predecessor, although he still remains committed to the claim that the Falklands are rightfully Argentine territory. After a 2016 encounter with British Prime Minister Theresa May at the United Nations, reports emerged that a dialogue over competing territorial claims would be opened, but these reports were quickly refuted by the British government.

In its recent complaint, Argentina also urged Britain to resume negotiations for “a peaceful and definitive solution to the sovereignty dispute,” citing support from the United Nations and various international bodies for resolution.