MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Criminal complaint filed against Mondino for Lammy deal

Carreras argued that the joint communiqué between Lammy and Mondino was instead an Agreement that should have gone through Congress

Lawyer Valeria Carreras has filed a criminal complaint against Foreign Minister Diana Mondino for alleged “breach of official duties” and “abuse of authority” after the understanding she signed with the United Kingdom to renew the monthly flight between Córdoba and Mount Pleasant, which had been suspended under former President Alberto Fernández when the Foradori-Duncan agreement was denounced.

Mondino and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy agreed last week to soften up the two countries' differences regarding the Falkland/Malvinas Islands and adopt a more practical approach. This position on behalf of the Argentine government was criticized by several opposition lawmakers, but -most significantly- by Vice President Victoria Villarruel, whose father participated as an Army officer in the 1982 conflict.

Carreras argued that Mondino failed to comply with Article 75 of the National Constitution by dodging Congress' involvement in the understanding. The lawyer also claimed that the Sept. document between Mondino and Lammy was based on the Foradori-Duncan one, which Argentine had denounced, and therefore the flights from Sao Paulo to Mount Pleasant making a stopover in Córdoba would be “illegal.”

“The tenor of the ”announced - agreed - communiqué“ is not a minor issue either, since it deals with issues related to our sovereignty, it deals with another Nation with which the conflict and the claim are still in force; and it deals with our territory in dispute for continuing to be usurped, MALVINAS,” Carreras wrote in her case filed before Federal Judge Sebastián Ramos.

The plaintiff maintained that the Mondino-Lammy communiqué launched by both foreign secretariats “under the guise of a 'press release or joint communiqué'” sought to hide the fact that it was, in fact, an Agreement, which, as such, “should have been dealt with by the National Congress.”

Villarruel last week said on X that “the proposed agreement announced with the United Kingdom is contrary to the interests of our Nation” because it would “provide continental logistical support to the occupation” in exchange for “crumbs” which “weaken our possibility of negotiation ... with the power that usurps our territory.”