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Peru could find itself snared in the Falklands/Malvinas dispute

Wednesday, May 2nd 2012 - 15:06 UTC
Full article 38 comments

By W. Alex Sanchez, Research Fellow at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs - Thirty years after a bloody war between the United Kingdom and Argentina, the longstanding territorial conflict over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands continues to simmer. Read full article

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  • The Cestrian

    What the hell is this story about? This happened weeks ago and yet is dredged up here for what purpose?

    Non story.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 03:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • GreekYoghurt

    Didn't we cover this story when Peru said yes to a visit by HMS what-what and then got wagged by Argentina and as any satellite state would. Besides they gave lots of guns and stuff to argtardia during the falklands war, so what to expect, really?

    May 02nd, 2012 - 03:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Chicureo

    W. Alex Sanchez: Thank you for the well written article.

    With all apologies, to rephrase part of your article for the current situation: In the 21st century, Argentina fought a ridiculous diplomatic war against the UK, which became known as the Mad Cow War of the South Atlantic (2011-2050). The origins of this conflict centered on Argentina’s desire for control over the fisheries and petroleum-rich off shore reserves of the Falklands. Towards the end of the conflict, a single destroyer and four fighter jets assigned to defend the islands along with a small supporting army contingent based there, was successfully able to keep the impotent Argentine forces at bay.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 03:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Idlehands

    I found it an interesting piece with greater depth than the typical story on here.

    Highlighted the complexity of South American politics.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 03:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Pirat-Hunter

    The world is getting smaller and smaller for the brits, soon they will need to find ports in space. Lol

    May 02nd, 2012 - 03:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • JuanGabriel

    “London had originally dispatched a frigate, the HMS Montrose, to the South Atlantic. The Montrose’s posting in the region was abbreviated, however, when it was decided that it should be replaced by another vessel, the destroyer HMS Dauntless,”

    The posting was not abbreviated, it lasted the planned duration

    May 02nd, 2012 - 03:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Conqueror

    Wow! What a to-and-fro article.

    Never mind. Peru is now defined as “unfriendly”. British investors please note. Make sure you screw every centimo (penny) you can out of them. Only dagos. Not much different to argies.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 04:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • STRATEGICUS

    What I take from this article (and a similar piece in todays La Nacion) is that virtually nobody in the rest of Latam really takes Argentina's claim to the Falklands seriously and is going to allow the Argentine tail to wag the Latam dog for much longer in this regard.
    Historically Britain has had excellent relations with nearly all of Latam based on Britain's help in the Latam independence struggle and then in the development of the continent.
    Argentina will have to face reality sooner or later that when push comes to shove it is on its own.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 04:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Simon68

    As the Cestrian says, a bit of a non-story, but having said that I must say that it is a well written and information rich article. I can see that Peru's position on the Falklands is very complex, given the Menem arms sale and the historical relationship with UK.
    I think if I were Peruvian I would like my Government to keep well out of both camps.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 04:08 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Guzz

    Yanqui! :)
    What was it you said about the Peruvian stance again?
    :) :) :)

    May 02nd, 2012 - 04:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • yankeeboy

    10. I said Peru is aligned with the interests of the USA, does this article contradict that somehow?

    May 02nd, 2012 - 04:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Guzz

    @11 That only makes sense in your head :)

    May 02nd, 2012 - 04:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • McClick

    Do you know where is Peru on the map ?...don't you !

    May 02nd, 2012 - 06:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • GreekYoghurt

    @13 it says it's not far from the Mar de Mierda on my tea cup.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 06:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • yankeeboy

    14. hahahaha I want one of those cups!

    May 02nd, 2012 - 06:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • GreekYoghurt

    @15 I think we all do. I looked on ebay for one not so long ago for one of my South American friends to take home, but no joy.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 07:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • JohnN

    An interesting historical account by Sanchez, but needs references. I think that while in late 19thC and early 20thC, Britain investors were really key in getting Peruvian mines and railways going, by late 20th Century times, what really matters was US, and now its a split of several regions attitudes to Peru - including China. However, now that Britain is in EU, there may be reverberations (similar to Spanish Repsol-Argentina) for how Peru approaches British interests.

    Peru's FM was hoping that the British Ambassador to Peru would cover the Montrose slight by agreeing publicly to cancel ship visit at last minute - but didn't happen. Does show a deep divide in Peru reflecting racial and radical politics - native Humala versus the old Anglo-US elite in Lima. Humala may not be welcome at the Lima Cricket Club (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lima_Cricket_and_Football_Club)

    Sanchez wrote his article very recently for Council on Hemispheric Affairs, but he makes no mention of the US and Canada denial of consensus for that anti-Falklands measure brought up at the Summit of the Americas. Since US population is now about 15% Latino, could have implications for upcoming election.

    Not many comments on this article on the COHA website, but might be of interest to commentors here to more COHA articles about Falklands: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lima_Cricket_and_Football_Club)

    May 02nd, 2012 - 07:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Chicureo

    #9 Agreed. They need as much diplomatic goodwill as possible to help support their ocean dispute/claim with Chile.
    #17 Thank you, very good link.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 08:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • briton

    Moving on a bit, it was nice to note, that with all the navies there are in south America including the USA, they all want to be ultimately involved with the ROYAL NAVY.
    How nice .
    .

    May 02nd, 2012 - 09:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Xect

    In 2000 the Royal Navy trained Argentine servicemen, I not sure of what date the training stopped (I can only presume it has) but it was a enjoyable experience for me working with some of those guys.

    The only rule was no talking about the Falkland's and all was well.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 09:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • briton

    as far as we know, the ROYAL NAVY trains more than halve the worlds navys in part,

    May 02nd, 2012 - 09:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Chicureo

    The pride of the Argentine navy, frigates built in Germany, are powered by Rolls Royce turbans... They all are being poorly maintained due to obtaining parts.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 09:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Britworker

    Thats a bloody long article which basically amounts to Peru would quite like to have its cake and eat it. Old news and nowt new.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 10:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ManRod

    “The Chilean government lays claim to a sizable amount of Peruvian territorial waters, and...”

    WTF?!? are you kidding me? very troyan-alike article to impose an ultra-biased fairy-tale-version of a peruvian POV regarding their claim on Chilean Maritime Zone (controlled by same) and to construct a supposed peruvian victim role in the War of the Pacific.

    “What is not so well known is the role of the British Empire during the War of the Pacific, as London was an active supporter of Santiago. The British provided Chile with both warships and experienced naval officers, which proved to be a defining factor in the conflict. Peru has never forgotten the British military’s aid to Santiago, as the War of the Pacific became a critical milestone in Peruvian history, serving as an inspiration and source of nationalism that swept the country and an abiding distrust towards Chile.”

    You mean the British supported Chile with sending them the British-built Huascar and Independencia (both Earle Ship Building Co, Yorkshire, UK), the biggest, most modern and powerful ironclads of that times? Oh... no, err...actually they were sent from UK to Peru, including half of their british crew helping them in same war!
    Maybe thats the reason, why this is a “not so well known role of the British Empire ”, because it exist only in peruvian minds that way. Brits fought on both sides of the war, and the british government had interests on both sides, so they kept out of trouble.
    So just stop being so self-pitying and searching for others to blame for the errors of your own governments back then. Peru entered a war, which was an issue between Chile and Bolivia only, none of Peru's business. But actually Peru was searching to gain advantage in this conflict. What a fail...

    Now, are we supposed to feel pity for Peru now, chosing their “moral” ARG allies who backstabbed them some years ago?

    “Tell me with whom thou art found, and I will tell thee who thou art.”
    Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

    May 02nd, 2012 - 10:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • malen

    dauntless, dificult word is it, means militarization a region were they do not belong
    spend money, spend km km km km of sea travelling, its your problem.
    dauntlees is a signal of business???? what do you sell missiles????

    May 02nd, 2012 - 11:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Ernie4001

    @24
    Yes you`re right this article is mistaken, in first place is Peru the one that built in a contrived way (tipical of their indiosincracy) a controversy about some maritime areas next to the border in the CHILEAN SIDE, NOT in the peruvian one. Second, the Peruvian did sign a secret treaty with Bolivia against Chile in 1873 six years before the war. Peru at that time had 4 ironclads (two american monitors and two english built) meanwhile Chile had two. The crewmen in the Huascar were british unlike in the chilean side that were only chileans.
    The problem for Peru was that didn´t count with loosing the war mainly because their troops were incompetent and cowards,
    that´s why they have been always looking for the revenge with Chile (the problem is they can not do it alone, as typical cowards they are) and they like to play the victims always to see who bites the hook and eventually may help them.

    May 02nd, 2012 - 11:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • malen

    dont tell me brit was helping both countries with armament or whatever............because that I cannot believe it, they wanting others countries to get in war and making money with that???are you sure?

    May 02nd, 2012 - 11:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • hipolyte

    what a liar you are Mercopress, Perú was not able to send a single one exocet to Argentina... you can read that everywere... moreover, to sink the Sheffied with one exocet from Perú... bulllllllllll shitttttttttt

    May 03rd, 2012 - 02:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Musky

    An overbearing article alluding to nothing much. I half expected to see quotes from the Chronicles of Narnia and recipes from Jamie Oliver's Argentine Cuisine Adventure.

    May 03rd, 2012 - 07:36 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Ken Ridge

    27 malen

    Your anti British nonsence prevails again

    May 03rd, 2012 - 09:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • lsolde

    @27 malen,
    Maybe we were helping Bolivia as well! Quien sabe?

    May 03rd, 2012 - 10:57 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • malen

    ¿Quién sabe? Sure, no doubt you did it.

    May 03rd, 2012 - 03:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Ces

    Curious, I think Perú is the one laying claims on that sizeable amount of Chilean territorial waters. I also think that we were attacked by the Peru-Bolivian Confederation in order to reestablish a significant part of the Inca Empire which extended well into the south of Chile. Nevermind that, I would be quite pleased to see the source of these statements published in this article. (I do hope it's not wikipedia)

    May 03rd, 2012 - 09:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • row82

    Please join and press the LIKE button on the page to follow the news feeds, we would like to expand to over 5,000 members on all three lists... (LIKE on the page)

    1. Keep the Falklands British -

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-the-Falklands-British/123151384435619?sk=wall&filter=1

    2. Falklands Forever British

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-the-Falklands-British/123151384435619?sk=wall&filter=1

    3. We Will Never Surrender the Falklands

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-the-Falklands-British/123151384435619?sk=wall&filter=1

    Join the growing cause to protect the Falklands from Argentine aggression!

    May 03rd, 2012 - 10:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • anti-fascist2

    A documentary about Nazi Argentina, on a discussion group the Argentine posters were quote “disapointed” that Argentina was still a military dicatorship. However you people are still fanatical nationalists with ambitions to add the entire South Atlantic and Antartica to your territorial aquisitions. next step will be Chile and Uraguay and they know it. Which is why we have so much support from the people of those nations.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6pB57lhPlk&feature=youtu.be&skipcontrinter=1

    May 04th, 2012 - 12:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • lsolde

    @32 malen,
    Thank you for correcting my Spanish.
    l'm still learning but l'm getting there.
    You just proved that you will believe anything bad about us.
    Madame, you definitely have a closed mind.
    What a pity we can't be friends.
    Alas, it cannot be, because of your country's avariciousness.
    You who have so much land & want our lslands.
    Sad

    May 04th, 2012 - 08:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • row82

    Please like this page in order to force Argentina to return Misiones and Formosa Provinces to Paraguay, the country they were stolen from in 1870!
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Misiones-y-Formosa-son-de-Paraguay/250980491652629

    Misiones and Formosa Provinces are provinces of Argentina that were seized and annaxed by Argentina from Paraguay this page is dedicated to address Argentine hyporcacy and ensuring their return to Paraguay.

    May 04th, 2012 - 06:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Anti-Fascist

    Argentina is a product of colonialism, conquered by the sword, most of the natives killed and infected by disease, their land taken from them and worked by imported African slaves, oversean by imported European colonials. The African's who made up 50% of the population would themselves completely disapear from Argentina between 1850-1900 in what could have been a chilling fore runner to the disareances of the Dirty War in the 1970's when an estimated 30,000 Argentines were raped, tortured and murdered, many more were held illegally in detention camps and tortured. The true figure for the dead could be as high as 100,000, no one knows because there is little official documentation and most bodies were dumped in the sea.

    Argentina took land from its neighbours in numberous wars , civil wars and land grabs - Paraguay, Uraguay, Chile. Today Argentina despite the changed political landscape is still a nation characterised by uber nationalism. The claim to the Falklands was surendered in 1850 but reserected in 1941 by a fascist junta, which inc Peron, they thought their friends the Nazi were going to win the war, the Falklands looked easy picking.

    In 1982 Argentina was under the latest succession of a series of fascism military junta's. Their hold on power was looking precarious, in deperation they sort a war, Chile looked like a good victim, they already claimed lots of land and were ignoring the international tribunals that had ruled in Chile's favor. But then they changed their mind and invaded the Falklands. Today the war is romanticized by a nation ruled by a kind of cross between a Neo-Nazi uber nationalist and a Charvesta Revolutionary uber Marxist. The only thing missing is the land reform. Maybe that's for later? But as few natives remain, maybe they'll just ignore their rights... God knows they always have. An entire culture replaced by a European one. Entire languages destroyed.

    Timmerman should take time to read about his country's history.

    May 08th, 2012 - 02:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0

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