Argentina's Vice-President Attacks Falklands Residents
Argentina's vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, has launched an extraordinary attack on the people of the Falkland Islands, telling them to 'go back to Britain' if they 'feel English'. The outburst follows a post by President Javier Milei, who declared that the islands 'were, are and will always be Argentine'.
In a series of posts on X, Villarruel targeted the 'Kelpers', a nickname for Falklands inhabitants derived from the abundant kelp surrounding the islands. She wrote: 'Today more than ever, the Malvinas are Argentine. The discussion over the sovereignty of our islands is between states, therefore the United Kingdom must discuss bilaterally with Argentina the claim that we maintain for legal, historical, and geographical reasons. The kelpers are English people who live in Argentine territory; they are not part of the discussion.'
Responding to a social media user who claimed the islanders are Argentine, Villarruel retorted: 'If they feel English, they should go back to the thousands of miles away where their country is.'
Renewed Tensions Over Sovereignty
Milei's earlier comments followed reports that the Pentagon would review the UK's claim to the Falklands, a move linked to Donald Trump's drive to punish NATO countries for failing to support his war against Iran. In response, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper affirmed Britain's 'unwavering' commitment to the islands, stating: 'The Falklands Islands are British – sovereignty rests with the UK, self-determination rests with the islanders. We could not be clearer about the UK's position on the Falkland Islands. It's long-standing. It's unchanged.'
The 1982 Falklands War claimed the lives of 255 British servicemen, three islanders, and 649 Argentinian personnel. The conflict began after Argentina invaded the islands, prompting then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to dispatch a military task force that reclaimed them ten weeks later.
Milei's Stance and UK Response
On the 43rd anniversary of the war last April, Milei expressed a desire to make Argentina a powerful nation so that Falklands residents would choose Argentina over Britain. He said: 'When it comes to sovereignty over the Malvinas, we make it clear that the most important vote of all is the one made with feet, and we hope that the Malvinas people will one day decide to vote with their feet for us.'
A year earlier, Milei publicly accepted the islands were 'in the hands of the UK' and vowed to pursue their return through diplomatic channels, admitting there was no 'instant solution'. He had previously promised a 'roadmap' for the islands to become Argentine. Despite his praise for Margaret Thatcher, Milei has consistently asserted Argentina's claim, a stance his government describes as a 'permanent and unwavering objective'.
Reform Party leader Nigel Farage plans to visit Argentina in the autumn to tell Milei that keeping the Falklands British is 'non-negotiable'. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak previously dismissed the sovereignty dispute as 'a long-settled issue' with no plans to revisit it.
