Why Argentina’s New Leader Pushed Claim to Falkland Islands: Q&A

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has dismissed a suggestion from recently-elected Argentine President Javier Milei that his country could gain sovereignty over the Falkland Islands “through diplomatic channels.” Argentina’s claim to what it calls the Islas Malvinas has been upheld by successive governments since the country gained independence in the 1800s, even though people living on the archipelago overwhelmingly prefer to remain British. Here’s what you need to know about the long-running dispute:

Named after the Scottish Lord Falkland who organized the first European expedition to the islands, they’ve been held at various points by France, Spain, Argentina, the US and the UK. French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville was the first to establish a permanent settlement on East Falkland in 1764, and named the islands the Iles Malouines — a reference to the French port of Saint-Malo. The Spanish name given to the islands used in Argentina is a translation.