MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Malvinas Argentinas,” Chile's President-elect once told UK Ambassador

“I hope your first trip is to our country,” Alberto Fernández told Boric

Argentina's ruling Frente de Todos (FdT) was quick to celebrate Gabriel Boric's win in Sunday's presidential runoff in Chile.

The now President-elect had engaged in a wording controversy in February of 2013 on Twitter with then British Ambassador to Santiago, Jon Benjamin, who referred to the South Atlantic Islands as “Falkland” when posting a message in Spanish.

“Malvinas, viejo, Malvinas Argentinas,” (Malvinas, man; Argentine Malvinas) replied the then 27-year old student leader who made his stance clear regarding sovereignty over the archipelago.

@JonBenjamin19 Malvinas viejo, Malvinas Argentinas.

— Gabriel Boric Font (@gabrielboric) February 11, 2013

That Twitter exchange was resurfaced in the past few hours by Argentine officials. Science Minister and former Malvinas Secretary Daniel Filmus wrote, also on Twitter, that “I am proud that the new president of the sister Republic of Chile defends Argentine sovereignty over the Malvinas. Latin America United!,” Filmus wrote.

Former Foreign Minister Felipe Solá said: “Look at this 2013 exchange. President-elect @gabrielboric is clear: Argentine sovereignty over the Malvinas is a cause for the entire continent. Better time is coming.”

“I am very happy, the region needs us to take care and work together,” Argentine President Alberto Fernández told Boric in a ten-minute telephone conversation. “I wish you the best for you and Chile. Here you have a friend and I hope your first trip is to our country. You are invited to come over whenever you want to,” Fernández went on, according to Casa Rosada's press office.

Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, was reported to be among the first regional leaders to congratulate Boric. “As we said on Friday the 10th at Plaza: 'people always come back and find the ways to do it; it can be a party, it can be a leader today and another tomorrow, but people always come back.' Congratulations President Gabriel Boric to you and the people of Chile,“ the former President said.

Boric's inauguration will be on March 11. He will become Chile's youngest President ever. He was elected on behalf of the Apruebo Dignidad coalition made up of the Broad Front and the Communist Party.

Santiago's stock exchange Monday reacted to Boric's victory with a sharp decline, in addition to a 3% devaluation of the Chilean peso against the US dollar for an unprecedented exchange rate of 1 US $ / 872.61 Ch $. In financial circles, it was dubbed ”the Boric effect.”

The leftwing candidate has always opposed free-market policies and favors higher taxes for the wealthier, which discourages investors. According to Bloomberg, the Chilean peso is also the worst-performing currency in the world, while Boric is feared to go after more redistributive policies and appoint a less market-friendly finance minister than he might have if he had won by a narrower margin.

Boric won with 55.87% of the votes against Conservative candidate José Antonio Kast's 44.14%.