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🇦🇷 Argentina /Economy & Trade

Eduardo Elsztain explains his investment in the Falkland Islands

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Eduardo Elsztain said he became a minority shareholder in the Falkland Islands Company in 2005-06 as part of an effort to build Argentine economic and social ties with the islands.
  • He said he attempted to acquire a controlling stake in 2017, but British authorities blocked and prohibited the proposal.
  • Elsztain said the investment reflected a long-standing Argentine strategy that economic involvement could support the country’s sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands.

Eduardo Elsztain says his investment in the Falkland Islands Company was intended to advance Argentina’s sovereignty claim, not simply to make money. The businessman explained his role as a minority shareholder after La Nación highlighted the investment and, he said, revived what he called “conspiracy theories and antisemitic” accusations against him.

“I thought that strengthening social, economic, cultural and productive ties with the Falkland Islands through an Argentine company could help with the sovereignty claim,” Elsztain wrote. He began buying shares in the Falkland Islands Company, or FIC, in 2005-06. The company has interests in real estate, agriculture and hotels, among other activities, and he described it as strategically and economically important on the islands.

A larger opportunity emerged in 2017, when FIC employees made an offer to buy the company. Elsztain said he believed English stock-market rules would allow him to submit a higher bid and seek majority control. He also hoped the effort would encourage hundreds of Argentine businesspeople and citizens to join an initiative focused on changing relations with the islands through economic and social development.

I thought that strengthening social, economic, cultural and productive ties with the Falkland Islands through an Argentine company could help with the sovereignty claim.

· Eduardo ElsztainHe explained the stated purpose behind his investment in the Falkland Islands Company.

Instead, he said, British authorities blocked and prohibited the proposal. He added that Theresa May, then Britain’s prime minister, publicly opposed the purchase. “It was worth trying, even though it failed. If I could, I would not hesitate to try again, and who knows, perhaps it will happen again,” he said.

Elsztain also cited advice from his grandfather, Isaac, who believed Argentina’s deeper economic involvement in the islands during the 20th century might have prevented the war. He noted that Juan Perón had tried more than once to buy FIC, while industrialist César Cao Saravia made a similar attempt in 1977.

It was worth trying, even though it failed. If I could, I would not hesitate to try again, and who knows, perhaps it will happen again.

· Eduardo ElsztainHe described his unsuccessful 2017 attempt to acquire control of the company and said he remained willing to try again.
About this summary

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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