Chilean Lawmaker Draws Parallel Between Falklands and Magellan Strait

Javier Olivares Avendaño, a member of Chile’s People’s Party, stated in the National Defense Committee that the Strait of Magellan is Chilean in the same way the Falklands are British. According to MercoPress, this remark was made during a parliamentary session and stands in contrast to the official line of President José Antonio Kast’s government, which supports Argentina’s claim to the South Atlantic archipelago while defending Chilean sovereignty over the waterway.

The comments emerged during a period of heightened diplomatic friction between Santiago and Buenos Aires. The controversy began in August when an Argentine air force officer described the southern region and the Drake Passage as areas of Argentine sovereignty. Chile responded with a formal protest, asserting that its rights are grounded in treaties from 1881 and 1984. Although tensions briefly eased after a phone call between defense ministers, the issue resurfaced when Argentine politicians later used language suggesting shared or strategic control over the strait.

Diplomatic Tensions Surrounding the Strait

On September 3, Presidents Kast and Javier Milei signed a joint declaration in Santiago confirming that the legal regime of the strait is defined by the aforementioned treaties, which they described as definitive and fully in force. Chilean media noted that this document marked the first time Argentina had officially recognized Chilean sovereignty over the entire strait. However, the agreement was complicated by subsequent remarks from Argentine officials, including Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno and Senator Patricia Bullrich, who used terms implying broader Argentine interests in the region.

Senator Bullrich later issued a letter attributing her comments to confusion with the Beagle Channel and acknowledged that the strait belongs entirely to Chile. Despite these clarifications, the incident mobilized the Chilean opposition. On Tuesday, the Chamber of Deputies voted 57 to 49 to summon Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna before Congress, making him the first minister in the current cabinet to face a parliamentary inquiry. The session is scheduled for September 28 and will address thirteen subjects, including the status of Argentine decree 457/2021, which references joint control of the strait.

Political Context and Opposition Stance

Avendaño, who chairs the committee overseeing state intelligence, is part of the center-right People’s Party, a group that is not part of the governing coalition. His comparison of the two sovereignty disputes serves to highlight what he views as an inconsistency in how Chile handles its territorial claims versus those of its neighbors. While the government seeks to maintain a balanced approach that supports Argentina’s claim to the Falklands to preserve regional stability, opposition figures are pushing for a more assertive defense of Chilean interests in the southern Pacific.

Future Implications for Bilateral Relations

The upcoming parliamentary hearing will test the resilience of the recently signed joint declaration. Observers will watch whether the Chilean government can maintain its diplomatic alignment with Argentina on the Falklands issue while firmly defending its exclusive rights to the Strait of Magellan. The resolution of the dispute over decree 457/2021 and the broader interpretation of the 1984 treaty will likely remain central to bilateral relations in the coming months.