Latin America

Argentina rejects Malvinas vote result

Argentina rejects Malvinas vote result
Argentina has rejected the outcome of a referendum in the Malvinas Islands, known as the Falklands to the British, on the future political status of the South Atlantic archipelago.

The Argentine government dismissed the referendum as a maneuver, which carries no legal value.

“We must denounce this trickery that pretends to represent the popular participation of an implanted population,” said Senator Daniel Filmus, a close collaborator of President Cristina Fernلndez de Kirchner.

“This publicity stunt has no validity for international law”, added Filmus.

About sixteen hundred British settlers living on the islands cast their ballots during two days of the referendum on whether they desire to remain British.

Although, official results showed that 98.8 percent of the islanders voted to remain under the British rule, but the London-backed vote is being challenged by Argentina as a British maneuver lacking legal value.

Argentina’s Senate is preparing to vote this week on a motion to reject the referendum’s results and reaffirm Argentina’s longstanding claim to the Las Malvinas Islands.

“The United Kingdom lacks any right at all to pretend to alter the juridical status of these territories even with the disguise of a hypothetical referendum,” said Argentina’s foreign minister, Hector Timerman.

Meanwhile, another Argentine official, Senator Anibal Fernandez, highlighted the government’s view of the Falklanders as a foreign population living illegally in Argentina.

“There will never be self-determination for an implanted population and there is no legal framework for this, the Malvinas are Argentine sovereign soil,” said Fernandez.

Speaking to an Argentinian radio station, the country’s ambassador to London, Alicia Castro, suggested the islands need Argentina to guarantee their survival.

“How long can the islanders live isolated from the continent? They are 8,000 miles from London and 500 kilometres from continental Argentina,” Castro told the Buenos Aires radio station La Red.

Argentina considers the islands as part of its territory occupied by Britain more than 180 years ago. The two countries also fought a war over the South Atlantic archipelago.

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