Chile to Issue Protest Note to Argentina Over Air Force Chief's Sovereignty Comments

The Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced it will send a formal note of protest to Argentina following statements made by Brigadier General Gustavo Javier Valverde, the head of the Argentine Air Force General Staff. During an appearance on a streaming program, Valverde referred to the Strait of Magellan, the south, and the Drake Passage as matters of sovereignty, stating that presence must be maintained because the area serves as a bioceanic key between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna responded from Vietnam, asserting that Chilean sovereignty over the entirety of the Strait of Magellan is indisputable. He cited the Boundary Treaty of 1881 and the 1984 Treaty of Peace and Friendship as the legal foundations for this position. Pérez Mackenna called on foreign authorities to be responsible with their declarations to avoid confusing their citizens.

In Chile, the comments drew criticism from various political figures. Interior Minister Claudio Alvarado stated that there is nothing to discuss regarding who the territory belongs to. Representative Alejandro Riquelme Ducci of the Republican Party suggested the comments were not an isolated incident, citing previous Argentine decrees and military infrastructure. Deputy Gonzalo Winter of the Frente Amplio block urged the Chilean government to defend national interests with firmness.

For his part, Valverde described the current military relationship between the two nations as excellent. He noted that the commander in chief of the Chilean Air Force had recently attended a ceremony as his guest and emphasized the need for coordinated work between Southern Hemisphere armed forces, provided each operates within its own sovereign space.