Chile Raises Diplomatic Protest Over Argentine Military Chief’s Sovereignty Claims

Original article: “Magallanes, el sur, el Drake, todo eso es soberanía”: Chile eleva protesta diplomática por declaraciones de alto mando argentino

A new controversy is straining relations between Santiago and Buenos Aires following statements made by the Chief of the General Staff of the Argentine Air Force, Brigadier General Gustavo Javier Valverde, who asserted that Magallanes and the Drake Passage belong to Argentina. The Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed it will file a formal protest note to the government of Javier Milei.

During an interview with the YouTube channel «The Podcast Factory» aired last Sunday, Valverde discussed the strategic significance of the passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

«We have very important areas like Magallanes, the south, and the (Drake) Passage. All of this is sovereignty; we must maintain our presence there as it is a key bioceanic route, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific. This could alert us to many things,» asserted the brigadier general.

Parliamentarians from various parties labeled these remarks as «serious» and urged the government of José Antonio Kast to «not let this type of statement go unchallenged», recalling that in January of this year, the head of the Argentine Navy Hydrographic Service, Rear Admiral Hernán Montero, questioned Chile’s sovereignty over the Strait of Magallanes.

«The mouth of Magallanes is Argentine. The mouth that connects Cabo Vírgenes with Punta Dúngenes, and from there towards the East, is Argentine,» Montero stated in a podcast.

In response to this situation, deputies demanded that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs send a formal protest note to Argentina regarding the remarks made by the Chief of JEMGFA.

After the uproar, the Foreign Ministry firmly rejected Valverde’s claims and confirmed to Radio Bio Bío that they will issue a formal protest note to the Argentine government.

They stated that Chile’s sovereignty over the Strait of Magallanes «is entirely indisputable» and is based on the treaties of 1881 and 1984 that were signed between the two nations and remain in effect.

Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna made a direct call for authorities from other countries to be responsible in their statements and not confuse the public with unfounded assertions.