The Argentine foreign ministry issued a communiqué on Tuesday stating its position on the Strait of Magellan after an Argentine general raised questions of sovereignty over the sea route that sparked protests from Chilean authorities.
In the statement published on social media, the foreign ministry stated that Argentina’s position regarding the southern passage remains the one established by the two treaties that recognize Chile’s sovereignty over the strait.
The two treaties are the 1881 Boundary Treaty and the 1984 Treaty of Peace and Friendship. The former established perpetual neutrality and freedom of navigation for the flags of all nations, including British vessels, an issue that has always been contentious for Argentina.
The 1984 agreement, in which Pope John Paul II played a mediating role following the military tensions between the Chilean and Argentine dictatorships, ratified and reaffirmed the existing territorial framework, recognizing Chile’s absolute sovereignty over the strait.
The foreign ministry stressed that both instruments “remain fully in force” and are considered “definitive” by Argentina.
