Milei reviews impact of Falklands announcements with ministers

Javier Milei brought his cabinet together to assess the “impact” of his latest announcements on Argentina’s sovereignty claims over the Falkland Islands, which have been administered by the United Kingdom since its occupation in 1833.

The Argentine presidency said Monday’s cabinet meeting focused on the government’s agenda, with particular attention to the Falklands, as well as the media and broader impact of a national broadcast Milei delivered the previous Thursday. During that address, the president said Argentina would accelerate procedures to sanction oil companies operating in the islands without Argentine authorization.

Milei also announced that he would revive a project to establish a naval military base in the country’s far south, about 700 kilometers from the Falklands. His government plans to send Congress a bill that would increase penalties for oil companies and other businesses operating in the islands and create a National Security Council.

The presidency said ministers reviewed the bill and decided that consideration should begin in the Chamber of Deputies. The renewed dispute follows decisions by Israeli oil company Navitas and British company Rockhopper to advance their Sea Lion project, located 220 kilometers north of the Falklands in waters subject to the sovereignty dispute.

The project is expected to begin extracting crude in March 2028 under exploitation licenses granted by the island government. Argentina considers those permits illegal. Argentina sanctioned Rockhopper in 2013 and Navitas in 2022. British company Borders & Southern and Canadian company JHI also hold exploration licenses in the islands.