MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei pledges to obtain a roadmap for the return of Malvinas during his mandate

Milei and Villarruel deposit a flower wreath at the Cenotaph

On the 42nd anniversary of the start of the Falklands/Malvinas war, President Javier Milei pledged that during his term in office “we will have a roadmap so that the Malvinas Islands return to Argentine hands,” underlining that the South Atlantic Islands sovereignty claim is an includible mandate for all Argentines, but for this we need “a country with a vigorous and prosperous economy” and that respects its armed forces.

The ceremony in Plaza San Martin, took place at the Malvinas cenotaph which has engraved in black granite the names of the 649 Argentine combatants fallen during the war, and was attended by the president, his vice president Victoria Villarruel, head of the Lower House Martin Menem, Jorge Macri, head of the Buenos Aires City Government, cabinet ministers, chiefs of staff of the armed forces, plus Malvinas Veterans and families of the fallen.

Milei and Villarruel deposited a flower wreath at the cenotaph, and following a brief address from Macri, head of Buenos Aires City, Milei read the speech in which he praised the bravery and determination of our Heroes who fought for “our Islands”, Malvinas, South Georgia, South Sandwich, and their surrounding maritime spaces. “

”In a real and sincere claim, certainly not the vacuous statements in international forae with zero impact in all these decades, from the political caste and their false love for the country“.

Read also: Argentina: Milei calls for reconciliation with Armed Forces at Malvinas tribute

For sovereignty claims to the listened and respected, a country and its leadership must be respected, since no one takes seriously corrupt and serial defaulters, who only care about their own interests. Milei said that there are two essential conditions for a nation to be respected by other nations, it must be a protagonist in world trade and must have armed forces capable of defending its territory. No one listens or respects a country whose leadership only increases poverty and despises their armed forces, and Argentine policies during decades has not complied with any of those essential conditions.

”No wonder then that little or nothing has advanced in the Islands claim. We are the first government in decades to really address the issue, with a clear course to make the country prosperous and sovereign; but we need not go too far, the so called leaders of the eighties generation, which consolidated the Argentine territorial sovereignty and showed us the course to follow. That was under president General Juan Argentino Roca, the father of modern Argentina (1880). And he understood the mandate of a prosperous economy and respected Armed Forces as the basis for a Great Nation. This means there is no sovereignty without economic prosperity, and empiric evidence tells us there is no economic prosperity without economic freedom,“ he said.

”And the presidents of the generation of the eighties did what we are proposing now, a state restricted to its essential duties, and freedom to produce, work and trade. Argentina then turned from a land of barbarians to a land of opportunities and freedom that attracted millions of immigrants, and our proposals are for a strong prosperous nation with real power to claim sovereignty and be respected by other nations. But as president Roca showed the economy by itself is not enough. There is no international respect for our interests if the political leadership has done nothing but tarnish the image of our Armed Forces. At one time, when sovereignty consolidated, leadership and society valued our Armed Forces and wearing the uniform was a motive or pride. But politics has erased all that, what sovereignty claim is possible if the leadership of a country despises and harasses our Forces? What homage to the Malvinas Heroes can be sincere if simultaneously finances and sponsors groups that are only moved to discredit our Armed Forces?,“ he continued.

”Nuestra principal inspiración para el reclamo de la soberanía es Julio Argentino Roca“

En el homenaje a los caídos y veteranos de Malvinas, Javier Milei aseguró: ”Nadie escucha ni respeta a un país que solo produce pobreza y cuyos políticos desprecian a sus fuerzas armadas”. pic.twitter.com/t8rsFUMYv9

— Corta (@somoscorta) April 2, 2024

Milei spoke to the “Malvinas heroes” and Argentine Armed Forces: “I'm telling them that those times are over, you are the pride of our nation and in this new Argentina you will also receive the respect long time denied. But I'm also telling them that respect for Malvinas Heroes and Armed Forces must not be the monopoly of a single political space. So that is why I'm calling on society and political leadership to make this April 2nd the beginning of a new era, a reconciliation that goes beyond this government, rendering the Heroes the true homage they deserve and the Armed Forces the acknowledgement and support they merit,” he stated.

“This new time will render support for our Armed Forces together with a prosperous and vigorous economy that can deliver the resources and technology needed to defend our motherland with dignity. A time in which we can rise to the challenge of the sacrifice of our Heroes and Fallen, where they can look from heaven and see a prosperous and great Argentina once again. An era in which every Argentine feels gratitude for those who chose to wear the uniform of our country and enshrine the colors of our flag. The first step of this new doctrine which will take place on May 25h, under the name of May Pact, will take place in Cordoba, where the leadership will sign their commitment to the New Economic Order for Argentina, expressed in ten principles. Today I'm extending a special invitation not only to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Armed Forces, but also to the organizations of Malvinas Veterans so they can be witnesses and banners of the new Argentina,” the head of state said during the act.

Milei finally closes his speech insisting on the unwaiverable claim over the Malvinas Islands and commitment during his term of office to have a roadmap, a clear path for the Islands to be returned to Argentine hands. He also thanks Veterans, families and all those wearing the uniform to defend the country, “I want to thank them their service in the name of the Argentine people. May God bless the Argentines and the forces of heaven accompany us.”