THE Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory located in the South Atlantic – but they have long been targeted by Argentina.
Javier Milei, the President of Argentina, has vowed to “reclaim” the archipelago during a fiery televised speech, but why do he and his country want the Falklands?
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Why does Argentina want the Falklands?
Argentina first claimed that it had a right to the islands in the early 1800s when it asserted that it had inherited them from the Spanish crown, despite this having no official basis.
Buenos Aires believes that its administration on the Falklands was illegally disrupted in 1833 by British soldiers when they removed the Argentine military garrison.
Crucially, in 1994, recovering the islands was added to the Argentine National Constitution, which made the claim an official state objective.
Argentina cites its proximity to the Falklands as a basis for its claim, with the islands approximately 300 miles away from the country’s eastern coast.
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The extent of the feeling around the Falklands in Argentina was on full display at the 2026 World Cup.
After beating England in the semi-finals, a handful of Argentinian players held up a banner that read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” – translating to “The Falklands are Argentine”.
The Argentine FA was slapped with a £237,000 fine by Fifa for this and a series of other ugly incidents that took place in the aftermath of the semi-final and final.
Britain’s sovereignty over the Falklands is based on its long-term administration of the islands, and on the principle of self-determination for the islanders, who are almost all of British descent.
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In 2013, residents voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining a British Overseas Territory. Of 1,517 votes cast in the referendum, 1,513 were in favour and only three against.
When did the islands become British?
An English captain first landed on the Falkland Islands in 1690, with the British later settling West Falkland in 1765.
However, the Spanish drove them away from the islands in 1770. The British then returned the following year, only to withdraw again in 1774.
In 1820, Argentina declared sovereignty over the Falklands after securing independence from Spain, but British forces reasserted their rule over the islands 13 years later.
The Falklands War came in 1982 when Argentina invaded and occupied the islands, along with some other nearby British territories.
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The conflict lasted just ten weeks as British troops recaptured Port Stanley and Argentinian forces promptly surrendered.
Despite lasting a short amount of time, 649 Argentine soldiers were killed in the conflict, as well as 255 British service personnel and three civilians.
What has Argentina’s President Javier Milei said?
During a fiery televised speech on September 4, Milei insisted the islands are a crucial part of Argentina’s “future”, warning that “there is no other path forward”.
The Argentine leader also claimed that the UK is facing “multiple crises” that are “unlikely to be resolved” while “Argentina‘s future is flourishing and will prevail”.
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Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband condemned Milei’s comments, as he held firm on Britain’s “unwavering position”.
Before Milei spoke, Donald Trump had implied he would not come to the UK’s aid if Argentina invaded the Falklands, as he recalled the lack of British support he received in the war on Iran.
With ongoing concerns about the country’s ability to defend itself, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting insisted on Britain’s “unshakeable commitment to the Falklands”.
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He wrote on X: “Milei’s statement overnight tells us more about domestic politics in Argentina than it does about the Falkland Islands.
“The Falklands are British because Falkland Islanders choose to be British. Our commitment to the Falklands is absolute and unshakeable.”