MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei reiterates Argentina's claim to Malvinas at UN Assembly

Milei accused world leaders of sticking to the current status quo not to offend potential voters

In his speech to the United Nations' General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Argentine President Javier Milei insisted on his country's claim to the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands, describing the case as “legitimate and inalienable.”

In line with this message, he condemned the United Nations' overreach, noting it had overstepped its original purposes, and urged the United Kingdom to resume bilateral sovereignty talks.

“Last year, I stood before you, in this very assembly, and argued that a return to the ideas of freedom was imperative. To the immortal principles that uphold the dignity of life, liberty, and property for all individuals under the law,” Milei stressed.

“I also warned that the UN had strayed from its path in recent decades. The successful model that spoke of the need for 'peace without victory,' and which was based on cooperation among nation states, was replaced by a model of supranational government by international bureaucrats who seek to impose a certain way of life on the citizens of the world,” leading to ineffective outcomes and a disregard for national sovereignty.

In Milei's view, the UN's expansion has not been matched by results, and he criticized its handling of issues like “indiscriminate immigration,” which he dubbed an “invasion.”

The Libertarian politician said the UN's primary mission should be to preserve international peace and security, with all other functions being secondary.

The UN should only intervene when a problem demonstrably exceeds a nation's ability to act on its own, Milei further argued.

Additionally, he called for audits, following the closure of ineffective programs, and a financing model based on “verifiable results.”

He then asked the UN to support initiatives that do not restrict a state's ability to foster economic growth through free markets and trade. “We believe in the original purpose of this organization. We believe that there are global problems that require dialogue and international cooperation to be resolved, but to do so, we must reject these excesses that often accompany noble agendas,” he said.

“As we stated last year, we will never support the curtailment of individual and commercial freedoms, nor the violation of the natural rights of the citizens of member states.”

Milei also urged Venezuela's Bolivarian regime to release Argentine Border Guard non-commissioned officer Nahuel Gallo, whom Caracas arrested under espionage charges. The South American leader said Gallo had been “forcibly disappeared” since December 2024.

The Libertarian leader also praised US President Donald Trump for his efforts to combat illegal immigration and his “cleaning of the institutional capture of the American state” and denounced what he called an “unacceptable escalation in political violence from the left.”

While calling for international cooperation to hold those responsible accountable, Milei also demanded the release of the Israeli hostages held by the pro-Palestine terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza.