Javier Milei

Javier Milei

Role at the time: President of Argentina, in a speech to the Ibero-American Summit in Madrid

Statement summary

Speaking to the plenary of the Ibero-American Summit in Madrid, President Javier Milei said the Sea Lion project aggravates the sovereignty dispute and that the UK is promoting oil exploitation through licences Argentina considers illegal. He said his government had opened sanctions proceedings and filed criminal complaints against the companies and their executives, begun arbitration against the UK and asked the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to block exploitation of the project.

“We activated sanctions proceedings and filed criminal complaints against the companies involved and their executives. Our Government will assert Argentina's rights with all the firmness the law allows. (Translated from Spanish. Original: Activamos procedimientos sancionatorios y presentamos denuncias penales contra las compañías involucradas y sus directivos. Nuestro Gobierno hará valer los derechos argentinos con toda la firmeza que permite la ley.)”

Javier Milei

Role at the time: President of Argentina, in a national address

Statement summary

In a national address, President Milei reasserted Argentina's claim to the Falkland Islands and announced plans to sanction companies exploring for oil near them. He called the Sea Lion project a "concrete and urgent danger," warned it could let the UK extract oil from waters Argentina claims, and said the project could "create an incentive for the UK to deepen its occupation."

“The Falkland Islands are Argentinian, historically and legally. There is no debate. If we fail to act, within a few months, they will possess the physical capacity to take the oil reserves that lie beneath our waters.”