MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Appointment of Argentine Ambassador to London causes stir among 1982 war veterans

Mariana Plaza, Veterans of the 1982 War warned they would be on alert given the diplomat's appointment

The Argentine Government's decision to promote Chargé d'Affaires Mariana Plaza to Ambassador in London has caused a stir among veterans of the 1982 South Atlantic War given the diplomat's stance in favor of dropping the country's sovereignty claims over the Malvinas/Falkland Islands.

The controversy was aggravated by the fact that her husband Carlos Gonzalo Ortiz de Zárate was to be appointed her second in command at the mission in the British capital, thus raising concerns of nepotism.

Former combatants have strongly criticized Plaza's appointment, accusing her of cooperating with the British and advocating for renouncing the sovereignty claim over the Malvinas. The Senate narrowly approved her promotion, with significant opposition from Peronist legislators. Critics argue that her appointment represents a submission to foreign powers and a shift in foreign policy under President Javier Milei. Meanwhile, British military exercises in the Islands continue amid concerns in Buenos Aires about the UK's strategic interests in Antarctica.

Some nationalist analysts in the Argentine capital speak of a “diplomatic surrender” in one of the most emblematic causes for Argentina, similar to the “carnal relations” doctrine of the 1990s defended by then-Foreign Minister Guido Di Tella under President Carlos Menem.

War veterans insist that President Javier Milei's Libertarian administration “cooperates with the usurpers” as the country gradually abandons its traditional stance regarding sovereignty. The couple's promotion prevailed despite strong speeches from opposition lawmakers at the Upper House.

”In the year 2024, this request [the couple's promotion] was rejected by some senators, thus putting an end to this aspiration. Given this failed attempt, today the national government (perhaps advised by the British embassy) is once again presenting a new appointment request, seeking the complicity of some senators to achieve its goal,“ it was argued.

The former combatants recalled that Plaza advised former Foreign Minister Diana Mondino to ”set aside the vindication of our sovereign rights over our Malvinas Islands and cooperate with the usurper, using other ways already tried by other governments and leaving our homeland in a shameful situation.“

”Evidently, she has been touting an Anglo-Saxon affair and has not hesitated to say that the claim must be renounced,“ the veterans underlined. ”This attitude no longer surprises us since it would be in line with the foreign policy of our current government,“ they added.

”We know that there is a progressive abandonment of the claim,“ they also pointed out. ”For this reason, and through these appointments in strategic places of people who are admirers of the British crown, we will always be on alert since these acts are an attempt against the interests of our nation,” they further warned.