MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Tierra del Fuego Governor angered by Falklands presence at tourism fair in Sao Paulo

Melella also wants to file a protest before the organizers of the “WTM Latin America” event

Governor Gustavo Melella of the Argentine Province of Tierra del Fuego which technically includes the the Falkland/Malvinas and other South Atlantic islands sent this week notes of protest regarding the “WTM Latin America” tourism fair in Sao Paulo where the British Overseas Territories have a desk. Melella sent letters to Brazil's Ambassador in Buenos Aires and the Argentine Embassy in Brasilia.

“In both letters sent to the diplomatic representations, the repudiation of this new British provocation was expressed, understanding that the presence of members of the illegitimate and pretended Island 'entities' or 'authorities' in this type of international fairs is intended to build support in different parts of the world for their occupation of our territory,” Tierra del Fuego's Secretary of International Affairs Andrés Dachary said in a statement.

In Melella's view, the British undertakings sought “not only to attack our legitimate sovereign rights but also to promote their economic activities by trying to consolidate the illegal British presence in our Islands,” Dachary added.

He also noted that his province asked the Brazilian Ambassador in Argentina to arbitrate the pertinent means to file a formal protest before those responsible for the organization of “WTM Latin America”. Argentina's diplomatic mission in Brazil should also assist the delegation of the Instituto Fueguino de Turismo (INFUETUR) attending the Sao Paulo event as part of the entourage of Federal Tourism Secretary Daniel Scioli, a former Argentine Vice President and Ambassador to Brazil.

Brazil's “Ambassador Julio Bitelli was asked to find a solution consistent with his historical support for our legitimate sovereign rights with respect to the Question of the Malvinas Islands in order to respond to these provocative acts of a colonial power that, taking advantage of the good faith, tries to take advantage of the situation to undermine our just rights and strengthen its position,” Dachary also explained.

In April 2022, a UK mission promoted tourism in the South Atlantic Islands at the prestigious International Tourism Fair (FIT), also in Brazil. Falkland missions are also normal yearly at Montevideo's yearly Expo Prado rural exhibition.