MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Chilean President Kast backs Argentine claim over Falklands in first state visit to Buenos Aires
Milei thanked Kast “on behalf of the Argentine government for the traditional support of the Chilean government on the Malvinas Islands Question.” Photo: Juan Mabromata / AFP Chilean President José Antonio Kast formally backed Argentina's sovereignty claim over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and surrounding maritime areas during his first state visit to Buenos Aires, where he met his counterpart Javier Milei at the Casa Rosada.
In a joint communiqué issued by both foreign ministries after the meeting, Kast “reiterated the Chilean government's support for the legitimate sovereignty rights of the Argentine Republic” over the archipelagos and “reaffirmed the need for the governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to resume negotiations in order to find, as soon as possible, a peaceful and definitive solution to the sovereignty dispute in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and other regional and multilateral forums.”
Milei thanked Kast “on behalf of the Argentine government for the traditional support of the Chilean government on the Malvinas Islands Question,” according to the official text.
The statement comes just four days after Milei led the central ceremony marking Veterans and Fallen Soldiers of the Malvinas War Day on April 2, where he reaffirmed that the dispute “continues to be recognized by the United Nations as a special and particular colonial situation” and called for progress toward a solution through “mature and sincere dialogue” with the United Kingdom.
Broad bilateral agenda
The two presidents met for over ninety minutes in the presidential office alongside members of their cabinets, in an encounter the joint communiqué framed within “a forward-looking agenda based on the defense of shared values of liberty, democracy, life and property, and the promotion of economic growth.”
“This is a historic moment for achieving greater integration between both nations,” Kast said at a press conference held afterward at the Chilean embassy. The Chilean president highlighted cooperation opportunities in mining, energy, trade and tourism, noting that both countries can strengthen each other — alongside Bolivia — in combating organized crime.
Both governments agreed to advance the modernization of border crossings and the digitalization of control procedures, as well as mechanisms to deepen intelligence sharing on security and the fight against transnational organized crime.
The Apablaza case
The extradition of former Chilean guerrilla member Galvarino Apablaza, accused of masterminding the 1991 assassination of Senator Jaime Guzmán, featured prominently in the talks. Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna thanked his Argentine counterpart Pablo Quirno for the “efforts deployed and support provided” in the extradition process.
Kast noted that the Milei administration had done “much more than in previous years” on the case. Milei signed the extradition order on March 11, the same day he attended Kast's inauguration ceremony in Santiago. However, when Interpol and Argentine judicial authorities raided Apablaza's home in the Buenos Aires suburb of Moreno last Thursday, the former guerrilla member was not found and remains a fugitive.
“Sooner or later, the fugitive Apablaza will answer before the courts,” Kast said, urging “every Argentine” with information on his whereabouts to come forward. Apablaza's lawyer, Rodolfo Yanzón, filed a complaint with the United Nations Committee Against Torture seeking immediate intervention to halt the proceedings, arguing that his client's refugee status remains in force until definitively resolved by the courts, AFP reported.
The visit, which followed the Chilean diplomatic tradition of choosing Argentina as a new president's first international destination, was curtailed by a severe storm that forced the cancellation of a planned wreath-laying ceremony at Plaza San Martín. The Chilean delegation returned to Santiago after the embassy press conference.
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Read all commentsSo, what has Pres Kast got to say about Chilean Antarctic claims which overlap with both Britain’s and Argentina’s.
Apr 07th, 2026 - 11:01 pm +2Not to mention the maritime dispute between Chile and Argentina over the continental shelf in the Southern Zone Sea.
And fairs fair, Argy Cit is right about one thing, Britain does maintain that self-determination applies to the Malvinas, whereas S. Georgia/S. Sandwich Islands have no permanent population therefore there is no issue of self-determination or de-colonisation and the issue can be decided in the ICJ.
Indeed, unlike the Malvinas, S. Georgia/S. Sandwich Islands are not listed by the UN for de-colonisation.
However, Argentina is not willing to put its case in court, even over territories where it can go to court.
Tells you all you need to know really.
No Zit the Falklands are not a special ; case regarding self determination, that is a lie that you keep claiming, the UN has said ALL people have the right to self determination. you objected and it was dismissed, 100.000.000 % Vernet asked permission from the British government. without permission he would never have gone, Britain did not withdraw at all. its military garrison left but British business on the islands continued. you lie again, decontextualization ? what a load pf piffle and long winded waffle , its irrelevant that Buenos Aires also gave him permission, the islands where already claimed by Britain. BA knew this. your whole long winded waffle is full of inaccurate statements and twists. the whole claim would be destroyed in any court of law, reasonable negotiations ? not possible you want only one out come and that will not happen. another lie about a continued claim. 90 years went by without a peep, only started again when the Peron government became unpopular and made the lie up, just like the Junta did. you also have exposed yourself having 2 accounts. the bottom line, is you have no case. that is why you have never gone to court and never will. more holes in your claim than a colander, and before you start your sill slip and geopolitical clap trap. just look at Iran and Ukraine,
Apr 13th, 2026 - 06:52 am +2Your argument rests onabsolutist interpretation of self-determination“
Apr 13th, 2026 - 05:59 pm +2There is only the correct interpretation under international law.
Regarding the right of self-determination and the Falkland Islands here it is in simple terms: in 1946 the UN agreed to place the Falkland Islands on the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. The UN states that the inhabitants of all Non-Self-Governing Territories have a right to self-determination. The Falklands are on the list, so they enjoy the right to self-determination.
”the absence of litigation before the International Court of Justice is not evidence of a weak legal case“
”Your argument rests onabsolutist interpretation of self-determination“
There is only the correct interpretation under international law.
Regarding the right of self-determination and the Falkland Islands here it is in simple terms: in 1946 the UN agreed to place the Falkland Islands on the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. The UN states that the inhabitants of all Non-Self-Governing Territories have a right to self-determination. The Falklands are on the list, so they enjoy the right to self-determination.
”the absence of litigation before the International Court of Justice is not evidence of a weak legal case“
Oh yes it absolutely does.
”Applying the rules concerning the mode of extinctive prescription to GB ....results in a different conclusion. Extinctive prescription involves possession,... ...However, since this was such a long period of time, exceeding eighty years, l7O one could conclude under general
Regardless of the conclusion reached above, however, the establishment of the world courts changed the situation so that diplomatic protests were no longer sufficient to keep Argentina's claim to sovereignty alive. ”
Major James Francis Gravelle
MILITARY LAW REVIEW CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ISSUES
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