Britons have been told they have “no reason to be angry” after Argentinian World Cup stars held up a banner claiming sovereignty over the Falkland Islands following their win against England. Former Argentine soldiers who fought at Mount Longdon during the Falklands War in 1982 continue to call on Britain to end its “occupation” of the archipelago.
Ex-soldier's stance
Ernesto Alonso, 63, who served in the 1st Platoon, B Company, 7th Infantry Regiment, told The Express: “The Argentine national team represented the sentiment of our Argentine people by raising the banner 'The Malvinas are Argentine' in front of England. “Football is also politics in our country. “Great Britain must respect international law and end the colonial occupation of our territories.” He added regarding the response from Brits: “They have no reason to be angry. “We Argentines must comply with and enforce a constitutional mandate: the First Transitory Provision of the National Constitution.”
This stance is "absolutely agreed" throughout his organisation, the Malvinas Islands Ex-Combatants Center (CECIM).
Constitutional mandate
The First Transitory Provision reads: "The Argentine Nation ratifies its legitimate and imprescriptible sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgias, South Sandwich and the corresponding maritime and insular spaces, as they are an integral part of the national territory." Argentine officials assert that “the British usurpation of the Malvinas in 1833 was part of a process of colonial expansion that at this stage tried to control the interoceanic passages”.
Sergio Isaia, 63, who served in A Company, said in CECIM's base in La Plata near Buenos Aires: “What I think is that the islands are ours, that foreigners or English people can come to work peacefully, but mainly respecting the Constitution of Argentina, because that territory is ours.”
Land vs people
German Bonanni, 63, who was in C Company, said the land is not British, but those living on the Falkland Islands can remain British citizens if they wish. He said: “The land is Argentinian. The people, no.”
The former soldiers, who were drafted into military service aged 18, refer to themselves as ex-combatants rather than veterans. They told of how they slept together in ditches they had dug with no waterproof clothes and killed and ate sheep to stay alive. Mr Bonanni recalled how he and his comrades could not see British troops in the darkness during their assault on June 11-12 and shot into the darkness in an attempt to repel them. He added that the Brits were well equipped with night-vision binoculars, giving them an advantage.
President Milei's approach
The Argentinian President, Javier Milei, has suggested that Argentina could gain sovereignty over the Falkland Islands via a diplomatic process, aiming for a peaceful transfer similar to the 1997 handover of Hong Kong. Mr Bonanni called President Milei “insane”. The group feels that he is not “fighting” hard enough to gain control over the South Atlantic territory. The organisation filed a criminal complaint against Milei in January, accusing him of breach of public duty and violating the Argentine Constitution, which states that acquiring the islands is a “permanent and inalienable objective”.
President Milei posted on X on July 17: “While some are busy throwing tantrums befitting a terminally mononeuronal teenager, we, through the diplomatic route, are getting closer every day to the recovery of the Malvinas Islands, Georgias, and South Sandwich Islands, and the surrounding maritime space. VLLC!”
Potential FIFA action
The Press Association reported on July 20 that it is still not known whether officials are investigating Argentinian players for holding up the banner. The BBC reported on July 16 that FIFA is "assessing match reports" before deciding whether to punish the country. The players' actions appeared to be in direct contravention of Article 34.3 of the tournament regulations, which bans the display of any political messages, slogans or gestures by players or teams before, during or after a match.
