MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Malvinas are Argentine”, but thinking differently is not a crime in Argentina, Patirica Bullrich

The former Home Secretary Patricia Bullrich had to come to the rescue of historian Sabrina Ajmechet

Recent statements by representatives from Argentina's intellectual elite referred to the Falklands being a British territory and belonging to the Kelpers, and that Argentina did not exist as such at the time, are still reverberating, but the country is holding primaries and elections next month and in November so some political amendments seem necessary.

In effect the head of the opposition, Together for Change, and former home secretary Patricia Bullrich has come to the rescue of one of her grouping-s Lower House candidates, a reputed historian, Sabrina Ajmechet whose alleged “anti Argentina” and “anti Malvinas” statements were dug out from social networks.

So Ms Bullrich as head of the opposition expressed a forceful and definitive, “the Malvinas are Argentine”, and Sabrina Ajmechet has a historian vision of the issue. It has nothing to do with the war or the veterans, but rather if Argentina existed or not at that time, (when the 1833 British moved in)“. What we are experiencing now, are ”academic debates out of context“.

The fact is that the candidate for a Lower House bench in representation of the City of Buenos Aires had some people remember Ms Ajmechet anti Malvinas sins when she tweeted that the ”Malvinas do not exist“ and the ”Falkland Islands belong to the kelpers“.

”Malvinas are not, and have never been Argentine“ wrote the historian some years ago triggering the current political controversy. Bullrich argued that things ”must be analyzed in the context of time and space, otherwise we will never get to understand many things“.

She added that Sabrina ”respects the Argentine constitution in totum. In the constitution is the integrity of our country, what she said ten years ago as a reputed historian are an academic reflection. You can't condemn a person because of an academic debate“

”Sabrina is a young outstanding intellectual, among the best in Argentina, vice president of the Argentine Political Club. A person of great capacity and reflection, with a republican, liberal open vision of history science. In Argentina we must avoid having a police to check what people think“, added Ms Bullrich.

Finally ”I'm very much concerned that whatever is said, the person is attacked and they want to kick him/her out of Congress. There is no way to change legislative majorities, and above all “in Argentina freedom of expression is protected and it is not a crime to think differently”.