Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The archipelago, with an area of 4,700 sq mi, comprises East Falkland, West Falkland, and 776 smaller islands. As a British overseas territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, but the United Kingdom takes responsibility for their defense and foreign affairs. The capital and largest settlement is Stanley on East Falkland.
The use of the term Malvinas is illegitimate as it only serves to recognize Argentina's illegitimate claim over the Falkland Islands. It is not simply a Spanish term for the islands, but part of Argentina's claim and therefore should not be recognized and used. They are not ‘The Malvinas’ anywhere but in the outpourings of Argentina and apologists for the Argentinian Junta and successor regimes.
Colonial History
When discovered by Europeans in the 16th century the Falkland Islands were uninhabited. It was not until 1764, when France became the first to establish a colony on one of the islands. The French then left their island in 1766 allowing the Spanish to take control while the British established a settlement on another one of the islands in 1765.
In 1770 the Spanish then attacked the British island forcing them to leave. In the following year the British came back and the colony town of Port Egmont became an important port-of-call for British ships in the area. Yet war was brewing in another colony known as the American Revolutionary War. In 1776 the British military forces left the Falklands heading to America to fight in that revolution, however, this time British settlers stayed behind in the islands.
In 1780 the Spanish then arrived back at the islands proclaiming their own sovereignty, destroying the British colony, and forcing the British inhabitants to leave their homes and settlement. The Spanish ruled the islands from Buenos Aires until they left in 1811 because they were unable to continue to control the area as their resources were too limited. The Spanish had other pressures and so they pulled out of the islands continuing to proclaim possession. British colonists started to return to live in the Falklands.
In 1820 an American-born Brazilian naval officer colonel named David Jewett arrived on one of the island with 40 soldiers. He was a naval commander that operated as a mercenary and pirate in both the United Provinces and the Empire of Brazil. Although at one time he commanded the 18 gun sloop-of-war USS Trumbull fighting the French, he later changed allegiance to the newly independent United Provinces of the River Plate which later became Argentina. It was his presence in the Falklands that thus began Argentina's claim it belonged to them. David Jewett was known as the pirate that planted the Argentine flag.
In 1832 Argentina envisioned using the Falklands as a prison colony, much like the British did in Australia. This plan did not work out for Argentina as there was a mutiny resulting in the death of a commanding officer and throwing the operation into chaos. By 1833 British military forces were back in the Falklands to restore order.
The colonial history of the Falkland Islands does nothing to support claims of possession by Argentina. In fact, it clearly demonstrates that the South American nation has no legitimate claim.
Argentinian aggression and invasion
Argentina invaded the islands via seaborne landings on April 2 1982 and subsequent occupation signaled the start of the Falklands War, which finally resulted in the islands' returning to British rule on June 14. For a brief period, the Falkland Islands found themselves under Argentine control. The British responded with an expeditionary force that defeated the invaders resulting in their surrender on 14 June 1982.
The military Junta of Argentina wrecked their nation's economy causing civil unrest. To distract the citizens of Argentina it was decided to invade the Falklands as a way of galvanizing the nation against a common enemy. The invasion was a politically motivated move that resulted in death and destruction.
Argentina Persists on Invalid Claim
The Falkland Islands being a British overseas territory is still, as of 2023, disputed by Argentina. Even more than 40 years later, this continues to be a point of contention with Argentina, which claims control of the islands, and calls them Las Malvinas.
Argentina controls the airspace around the Falkland Islands, so Argentina feels they need to approve flights to the Falkland Islands. Argentina wants its national airline, Aerolineas Argentinas, to be able to fly between Buenos Aires (EZE) and the Falkland Islands, but the Falkland Islands is rejecting this request. Argentina has responded by blocking LATAM (a Chilean airline) from adding a new route from Brazil to the Falkland Islands.
Due to how remote the Falkland Islands resides there are few options to get a flight to the islands. The archipelago was supposed to see the resumption of a route from Sao Paulo, though Argentina is now blocking it.
Diplomatic analysts say that the reason for Argentina’s continued persistence in the islands is a political ploy by the failing government of Argentina. The battle for control of the Falklands is being made into a far bigger deal than it needs to be in an attempt to shift public attention from domestic economic and political failures.
There is also the issue of the presence of oil in the area. One exploration firm has already discovered 450 million barrels of oil in the Sea Lion field to the north of the islands. The potential of an oil boom in the Falkland Islands has infuriated the Buenos Aires government. In 2012 Argentina’s foreign minister warned his government would try to sue any companies which participate in obtaining oil from the Falkland Islands.
