MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina: Carmona's appointment as Malvinas Secretary heralds confrontation, report says

Carmona seems to have all of his past ahead of him.

The appointment of former Mendoza Deputy Guillermo Carmona at the helm of the Malvinas Secretariat has been interpreted by the Argentine armed forces as a sign that the Government intends to toughen up on the sovereignty dispute with the United Kingdom, it was reported.

Carmona was chosen to head the Malvinas, Antarctica, and South Atlantic Secretariat within the Foreign Ministry to replace Daniel Filmus, who has now become Science Minister.

According to the Buenos Aires daily newspaper La Nación, Carmona is regarded in military circles as a “representative of the most extreme nationalism,” leading up to the 40th anniversary of the 1982 war. A La Nación source was quoted as saying that the choice of Carmona ”will add nothing ... in the final reconciliation process.”

Among the Argentine Navy's top brass, Carmona's participation as a lawmaker in the hearings of the bicameral committee investigating the sinking of the ARA San Juan submarine is said to have left unpleasant memories. They consider that he was particularly aggressive towards naval officers.

Carmona has also taken part in a tribute to Operation Condor, the September 1966 hijacking of an Aerolineas Argentinas plane which landed on the islands, which coupled with his background as Chairman of the Lower House's Foreign Relations Committee (2012- 2015) heralds differences with Filmus, the press report went on.

The newly-appointed official's stance towards dialogue and cooperation around the South Atlantic conflict has also turned on some red lights. Carmona has just left the Defense Ministry's Institute for Financial Aid (IAF), where he was in charge of paying military retirements and pensions. From that position, he strengthened his ties with war veterans who support President Alberto Fernández's new choice for the job.

Under Carmona, the Malvinas issue is expected to take center stage, particularly through the 40th anniversary whereby the role of veterans would be enhanced.

The La Nación article also highlights that Carmona is a harsh critic of the agreements with Great Britain and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for the identification of fallen Argentine combatants.

Carmona has also opposed the nomination of British Colonel Geoffrey Cardoso and Argentine war veteran Julio Aro for the Nobel Peace Prize for their humanitarian work.

Congress unnamed sources quoted by La Nación said Carmona “does not seem to be the right person or the most suitable person for this role,” given his confrontational political background. Another source added he was far from being “the type of person open to dialogue that is required for such a sensitive issue for international politics, such as the Malvinas question.”

As Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges once said about Peronists, Carmona seems to have all of his past ahead of him. (Source: La Nación)