Argentina and Chile Experience Diplomatic Tension Over Strait of Magellan Sovereignty

The Argentine government has ratified that its position on the Strait of Magellan is governed by the Boundary Treaty of 1881 and the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984. This official response follows a diplomatic dispute triggered by statements from the head of the Argentine Air Force, Brigadier General Gustavo Javier Valverde, who suggested that the Strait of Magellan is part of Argentine sovereignty. Chile responded by announcing a formal note of protest and asserting that its sovereignty over the entire strait is indisputable. Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna and Interior Minister Claudio Alvarado both emphasized that the legal basis for Chilean control is found in the treaties of 1881 and 1984. In its official communication, the Argentine Foreign Ministry avoided deepening the controversy and instead highlighted the strategic value of bilateral cooperation in the South Atlantic and Antarctica. Meanwhile, the Chilean Army and Navy have deployed military exercises in the southern zone. While military sources state these are annual, pre programmed activities, the deployment coincides with the diplomatic friction. Some of these activities include the Jaukén exercise by the Army and patrols by the Navy's Amphibious Task Force. Despite the tension, reports note that the Chilean and Argentine navies are also concluding joint exercises known as Viekarén in the Beagle Channel.