On September 3, 2026, Chilean President José Antonio Kast reaffirmed his country's support for Argentina's legitimate sovereignty rights over the Falkland Islands (known in Spanish as Islas Malvinas), South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, and the surrounding maritime areas. The confirmation came during a bilateral meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei at La Moneda Palace in Santiago, Chile, which lasted approximately 40 minutes and marked the third bilateral meeting between the two leaders this year.
According to the Argentine news outlet Los Andes, Kast also emphasized the need to resume negotiations between Argentina and the United Kingdom to reach a peaceful and definitive solution, in line with United Nations (UN) resolutions and regional and multilateral forums. This support marks a historical contrast with the position of Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship, which in 1982 backed the UK during the Falklands War.
Milei's Request and the Strait of Magellan
During the meeting, Milei thanked Chile for its traditional support on the Falkland Islands issue and requested efforts to prevent illegal unilateral logistical activities in the disputed area, such as hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation and unauthorized fishing. In this context, both presidents recognized Chile's sovereignty over the entire Strait of Magellan, whose legal regime is established by the 1881 Boundary Treaty and the 1984 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, both fully in force.
This statement is significant given that, just 10 days earlier, the head of the Argentine Air Force, Gustavo Valverde, had generated diplomatic tension by referring to the strait. Kast, during a visit to Punta Arenas, had been blunt: “Argentina has never had and will never have sovereignty or control over the Strait of Magellan.” The meeting at La Moneda served to dispel any speculation and reaffirm bilateral cooperation.
Meeting with Sarah Rogers and Trump's Statements
As part of his visit to Chile, Milei also met with Sarah Rogers, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, at the San Carlos de Apoquindo event center in Santiago. The meeting was attended by Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno and Secretary General of the Presidency Karina Milei. The topics discussed were not disclosed, but it occurs against the backdrop of statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested a possible shift in Washington's stance on the Falklands: “I always review all positions, that's just one among many,” he said at the White House.
Milei has called the Falklands claim the “most important and sacred” cause of Argentines and, in August, had indicated that the alliance with the United States was the “key” to recovering the islands. However, the U.S. ambassador to Buenos Aires, Peter Lamelas, ruled out a change in Washington's policy, which has historically remained neutral in the dispute.
National Broadcast and Measures on the Falklands
On the same day, Milei recorded a national broadcast at the Casa Rosada, surrounded by his full cabinet, Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, and the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Martín Menem. In a message lasting approximately 15 minutes, he announced a package of measures on the Falklands, including:
- A regulatory decree, a bill, and a Decree of Necessity and Urgency (DNU).
- Sanctions on companies operating in the Falklands without Argentine authorization.
- The construction of a naval base in Tierra del Fuego.
- The submission of a bill to Congress next week.
These measures aim to strengthen Argentina's position against the Sea Lion Project, an offshore oil initiative led by British company Rockhopper Exploration and Israeli company Navitas Petroleum, which plans to exploit hydrocarbons in waters near the archipelago.
Other Bilateral Topics
The agenda between the two countries was broad and covered multiple areas of cooperation:
| Topic | Agreement |
|---|---|
| Security | Commitment to the Santiago Regional Agreement against Organized Crime; cooperation against drug trafficking, terrorism, and transnational crime. |
| Extradition | Argentina committed to advancing the detention and extradition of Galvarino Apablaza, accused of the murder of Chilean senator Jaime Guzmán. |
| Mining | Approval of additional protocols to the Treaty on Mining Integration and Complementarity. |
| Energy | Energy complementarity; Argentina as a supplier of gas and oil. |
| Trade | Modernization of border crossings. |
| Antarctica | Mutual recognition of rights, co-management of protected areas, Combined Antarctic Naval Patrol (over 25 years), and a joint proposal for a Marine Protected Area in the Western Antarctic Peninsula. |
Milei's visit to Chile was part of his participation as a speaker at the Madrid Forum, organized by the Disenso Foundation, and was accompanied by Karina Milei and Pablo Quirno. The bilateral meeting made clear that, beyond historical differences, the relationship between Argentina and Chile is experiencing a moment of strong cooperation and understanding.