Argentina demands Britain negotiate Falklands sovereignty, citing invalid referendum

Argentina's Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno is demanding that Britain negotiate sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, calling it a priority for the Argentine government. Quirno stated in an opinion piece for the Argentine newspaper La Nacion that the islands' 2013 referendum, in which 99.8% of residents voted to remain under British rule, was invalid because Britain organized it unilaterally.

This assertion challenges the legitimacy of the vote, which was held to determine the islands' political status. Quirno argues that neither past nor future referendums can be binding if Britain controls the process.

The renewed focus on the Falklands dispute comes after reports surfaced that the U.S. administration might be reconsidering its long-standing position on the islands. A leaked Pentagon memo in April suggested the U.S. was reviewing its stance, potentially as a response to Britain's position on the Iran war.

Argentine President Javier Milei is a close ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump. The Falkland Islands were the subject of a brief war between Britain and Argentina in 1982, which concluded with a British victory. The islands remain a sensitive issue in Argentine foreign policy.