MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei: “Hong Kong solution for Falklands? Remember Islanders live in a developed country and not a miserable one as Argentina”

Lawmaker Javier Milei proposes orthodox economics including eliminating the central bank, to prevent money printing, and has become a serious candidate for the 2023 presidential election

A rising far-right wing star in Argentine politics, promising orthodox economic policies, and with ascending presidential chances among a population fed up with rampant corruption, inflation and government handouts instead of jobs, Javier Milei, has pledged a Hong Kong similar solution for the disputed Falkland Islands, if he makes it to the Pink House in Buenos Aires, next year.

Milei is currently third in public opinion polls, not too distant from the two leading forces in the Argentine congress, and during a long interview on foreign policy and defense, anticipated he would sponsor the Hong Kong solution for the Malvinas Islands dispute, but ”with very special care for the wishes of the people who live in the Islands, since they live in the parameters of a developed country, and not a miserable country like the one we have (Argentina)“ controversial lawmaker Milei said during a television interview.

”Argentina is not a country capable of resisting a foreign attack, and this is because its defense is in tatters,“ nevertheless ”fortunately we have neighbors that are not aggressive or bellicose towards us.“ Milei pointed out that ”this situation allows us to be completely defenseless, and luckily nobody is going to attack us because there are no regional conflict. Furthermore there is an ideological component since those who are supposed to defend us are punished, stigmatized, persecuted...“

Asked about the geopolitical situation in the South Atlantic and further south, the Falklands and Antarctica, Milei called for renewed ”diplomatic“ efforts to discuss the Malvinas sovereignty, and to that effect mentioned what was achieved by London back in 1997, when Hong Kong was returned to China.

”Following some time, the objectives agreed were complied and automatically Britain returned Hong Kong to China. Here we have to do something similar but taking into account the wishes of the people who live in the Islands, because they live like in a developed country, and not in a miserable country as we have“, was the polemic statement from the lawmaker, particularly very popular among the young crowds disenchanted with Argentine politics and political system.

”You must sit with the English, there was a war which they won, and tell them, 'look here, the territory according to UN definitions belongs to Argentina..., and then try to reach an agreement, which in the long run means the return of the Islands to Argentina, but with no violence involved, and as I said contemplates the position of the people living there in the Islands.“

Finally Milei confessed his natural allies are ”in the Western world, and aligned with Israel“, and if elected president will be the first country to visit.

”My natural associates by definition are Israel and the United States. If I am elected president, my first trip will be to Israel, and I will ensure that our (Argentine) embassy be moved from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem.