MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuela supports Argentina's claim to Malvinas

“Just as the Essequibo is Venezuelan, the Malvinas are Argentine,” Gil insisted

Despite criticizing a judge's decision to hand over to the United States the Emtrasur Boeing 747-300 freighter aircraft seized in Buenos Aires, Venezuela's Foreign Ministry also issued Wednesday a declaration insisting that the Malvinas [Falkland] Islands were Argentine.

“Just as the Essequibo is Venezuelan, the Malvinas are Argentine,” Caracas said in support of Argentina's claim over the archipelago.

“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ratifies its firm support to the legitimate claim of the Argentine people over the Malvinas Islands, illegally occupied by the former British Empire for 191 years,” said Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil in a message on X.

“Just as the Essequibo is Venezuelan, the Malvinas are Argentine,” Gil insisted about the 160,000 km2 oil-rich region under Guyanese control which the government of Nicolás Maduro was allegedly entrusted to annex last Dec. 3 through a referendum with an arguable turnout of around 50%.

La República Bolivariana de Venezuela ratifica su firme respaldo al legítimo reclamo del pueblo argentino sobre las Islas Malvinas, ocupadas ilegalmente por el ex-imperio británico durante 191 años.

¡Al igual que el Esequibo es venezolano, las Malvinas son argentinas! Los… pic.twitter.com/Ds5GyJ7yXc

— Yvan Gil (@yvangil) January 3, 2024

“The rights over our territories do not expire nor are they abandoned. Today it is crucial to respect international law and seek a peaceful and just solution to this situation,” Gil added.

The Argentine government of ultra-liberal President Javier Milei also launched an appeal to the United Kingdom Wednesday to resume bilateral sovereignty negotiations.