Yes I know, the Falklands (las Malvinas) are British, but the Argentines are convinced they were, are, and always will be theirs. It is even written in the Argentine schoolbooks. I always wondered if the Argentines actually believe that the Falklands are theirs. Every Argentine I have ever asked said no, of course not. But still, I wonder. Who puts these slogans on the walls, who carries these banners? And why? Why do the Argentines pay so much importance to these islands? Why do they want those islands so badly? Is there oil perhaps? It is a mystery to me.
Today I saw another Malvinas slogan. And I just wonder. Are they worth the fuss?
The Feel Good Way 
19 responses to “Fueron, son y serán”
You should read some Argentine History first.
Primera ocupación de las islas
Las visitas británicas provocaron con posterioridad una serie de fricciones con España y en 1740 se produjo un enfrentamiento armado entre las flotas de ambos países sin un claro vencedor. En 1764 el conde francés Louis Antoine de Bougainville estableció Port Louis en la isla Soledad y tomó posesión de las islas en nombre del rey de Francia. Ante la protesta española, en 1766 Francia accedió a evacuarlas y reconoció la soberanía española sobre el archipiélago, con la condición de indemnizar a Bougainville. Los 115 colonos franceses quedaron bajo el gobierno de Felipe Ruiz Puente, que procedió a construir una capilla y otros edificios, estableciéndose la Gobernación de las Islas Malvinas. Paralelamente, los británicos fundaron Port Egmont en la isla Trinidad del grupo de las islas Sebaldinas. España logró la retirada de los británicos en el marco de los acuerdos llamados Convenciones de Nutka. En 1811 las Malvinas fueron evacuadas por los españoles, quedando desiertas hasta 1820, siendo sólo visitadas por barcos balleneros de diversas nacionalidades.
Establecimiento argentino
Vale de 10 pesos emitido por Luis Vernet antes de 1833.
En 1820 el gobierno de Buenos Aires envió una fragata a tomar posesión y reafirmar sus derechos en las Malvinas, como sucesión de España. Desde 1823 concedió a Luis María Vernet la explotación de recursos de las islas. El 10 de junio de 1829 se creó la Comandancia Política y Militar de las Islas Malvinas con asiento en la isla Soledad y jurisdicción en las islas adyacentes al cabo de Hornos. El 30 de agosto de 1829 Vernet fundó Puerto Luis.
Ocupación británica de las islas
Las actividades de contralor que Vernet llevó a cabo contra barcos balleneros hicieron que la corbeta de guerra Lexington de los Estados Unidos destruyera las instalaciones de Puerto Soledad. El 2 de enero de 1833 llegó la fragata de guerra británica HMS Clio, al mando del capitán John James Onslow, quien comunicó al jefe argentino que iba a reafirmar la soberanía británica y retomar posesión de las islas en nombre del rey de Inglaterra. El capitán de la goleta Sarandí, José María Pinedo, no se consideró en condiciones de resistir y optó por embarcar a sus hombres y retornar a la Argentina. Al día siguiente desembarcaron las fuerzas británicas, izaron su pabellón y arriaron el que había dejado Pinedo, tomando posesión de las Malvinas.
Thanks Julio! It is true that the Argentine history books I read don’t include anything interesting about the Malvinas. And the only thing interesting I found on the internet was the youtube clip attached. Thats why I wrote that it is a ‘mystery to me’. I was in fact hoping that one of my readers would clear this out. 🙂
I only hope that none of the countries that have ever had sovereignty over my county (Flanders) are hoping to get us back. That would be Austria, France, Holland, Spain and I should probably include Germany…
I’d like to respectufully participate:
I personally believe the islands are ours. And I certainly believe their are worth the fuss, claiming them (on diplomatic means only, war is not the option).
Think it this way, how would you feel, as a Belgian, if France and The Netherlands partitioned your country in 2? Would that cause a fuss?
The history reference provided is correct, in fact, in the 70’s we were REALLY close to obtianing joint administration of the Archipielago. War screwed it up. But my humble opinion, and political standing, is that those tiny, deserted, oil-plenty island, belong to the Argentine Republic.
Just my 2 cents.
Regards!
Thanks!
I get your point about being divided, but Belgium is not a good example : I think right now a big part of the Flemish would like to be separated from the Walloons, although true, they would not like the idea of being a part of Holland 🙂
But how do the Falkland-Malvinas inhabitants feel? Do they consider themselves Argentine or British? Weren’t the Argentines expelled from the island when the British took over? Or am I mistaken?
Or is all this economical, in other words, about oil?
If it is about oil I would understand it completely. Aren’t most of this centuries wars based on oil? Although I agree, whatever this dispute is about, it should be negotiated, not fought over through war.
you ignore the fact that the population has no interest in being part of Argentina. The UN is very clear about the right to self determination.
self determination is a very convenient tool to use when the islands, just like Ireland was, were settled or planted only by pro british settlers, Planting pro brits there years ago does not equal democracy; the islands are nearest to the argentine land mass and britain had and has no business exploiting them, if Argentina was powerfu, just like China,, the UK would have left them long ago, as it did in Hong Kong
by deserted do you mean the 3000+ people who live there and were so steadfastly pro British that they armed themselves with rifles left over from the Falklands war?
That is indeed a fact: 100% of the actual inhabitants are British, Uti possidetis (effective occupation of the land) being the main british arguement.
And whilst the economic factor was not originally considered, it is now, since oil reserves were found in the late 90’s.
I think it was originally purely a matter of national pride. The military government needed an enemy and an excuse to channel all the unrest and discontent of the population and those long lost territories were perfect.
I’ll admit it. I don’t like losing. Most argentines are bad losers, we are. And this war was no excpetion.
I’m pretty positive that if we hadn’t chose the path of war, the islands would today be either an independent state or a jointly ruled territory, with a small argentinian settler population. But alas, it was not meant to be =(
And so as not to bore you with my rants, one more thing I that I personally consider inaccpetable is colonialism. An european power having overseas territories in the 21st century is simply ridiculous, we are not in the 1880’s anymore. Anyway, just my thoughts 😛
Have a nice day!
“one more thing I that I personally consider inaccpetable is colonialism.”
Since in this case Argentina would be the colonists (Since it’s residents are British) wouldn’t it infact be the Argentinians who are the 21st century colonial aggressors?
Debería leer la historia real de los hechos, no la que le han contado los piratas imperialistas. Argentina formaba parte del Virreinato del Río de La Plata, y en el año 1810 se independizó de la corona Española, por lo cual las Islas Malvinas pasaron a ser parte del territorio nacional. En 1833, Gran Bretaña invade ilegalmente las islas echando al Gobernador y a la población que vivía allí e implantando colonos irlandeses y escoceses en su gran mayoría. A partir de ese mismo año, Argentina jamás ha dejado de reclamar por la usurpacion colonial de las islas; si no me cree puede solicitar información histórica a Francia y España que corroboran la legitimidad de la soberanía Argentina de las islas.
Ahora si usted sigue pensando que las islas son Británicas, y no de su verdadero dueño, que es la Nación Argentina; que hace todavía usted viviendo acá?? es inaceptable que viva en esta bendita tierra personas que defiendan el colonialismo; si no está de acuerdo por favor lárguese de Argentina.
Atte.
i don t going to say anything about the topic (ok, malvinas are ours :P), i just wanna recommend u the movie “Blessed by fire” (AKA Iluminados por el fuego) cuz i guessed from anothers post that you the seventh art.
Thanks! I will look for the movie.
the islands ‘belong’ to the people that live there. And the people that live there want to be British. And the UN is very, very clear about the right to self-determination. If the Falklanders wanted to be Belgian – that’s their choice.
Pilar Desgraciadamente el hbmore coloniza todo lo que puede.En la actualidad, por esa zona se hacen pequeños cruceros, viajes en veleros, en ultraligeros y existen muchas ofertas turísticas para visitar museos, palacios…
There is an interesting article in the Economist on this topic. The title says it all : “Rocking the boat, another diplomatic victory for president Fernandez”.
http://www.economist.com/node/21542183?frsc=dg%7Ca
So let’s just be patient, the Malvinas were Argentine, they may be British now, but one day, they will be Argentine again 😛
Really? The British have show incredible willingness to defend the legitimate choice of the Islanders to chose their own nationality.
Argentina slips in and out of economic crisis, flirts on-and-off with military dictatorship and is a military ilghtweight.
The fact. And it is a fact. The UK forces in and around the Falklands could wipe out most of the argentine airforce and sink the argentine navy with a single submarine.
Argentina uses the Falklands to distract the populace from the weaknesses in the economy.
Do you want to see more British or Argentine teenagers die for a rock in the S. Atlantic. I don’t?
Its very interesting the sheer intracability of the argenrine people in this matter. These islands hundreds of years ago had some small level of mitiary and strtegic importance, but that was long ago, its only very recently that the oil fact has come into this.
Also it should be noted that rather than the UK hightening this issue to distract us over here, its really the other way around as it was in the early 80s when you had mass killings and very little freedom of speech, though this time its about money
The people of the falklands wish to remain British and wish to remain in there homes, and no amount of bulling or scare tactics will change that.
If we all start going round the globe making historical clams to lands, at the expense of the acual people who have lived there for 10 generations I just don’t know where we would stop
The UN charter is very clear on this, that people have something called freedom of choice but no amount of convincing would ever change argentinas position on this matter, for them its a point of principle, and they are will to die over this, or at least the rich are willing to sacrifce the underclasses in there socity.
Given Argentinas past record of abuse of its own citzens you can hardly blame the falkland islanders not wanting anything to do with them, of course perhaps they just want the island to hide some more war criminals away, something they are very good at.
anyway sorry for going on, for me as a Scotsman its not about the land, or the money, or the statis it purely about what right and about peoples freedom and about that fact that even though the falklins mean nothing to us, we pay a large amount each year to defened their rights and happly continue to do so, that our point of principle
In my opinion, and from the historical records not from Argentina, the three reasons why argentina claim ownership are
A storm-damaged mariner who claimed sovereignty despite existing respective English and Spanish claims.
A British funded and protected colony was established comprised of British colonists led by a dutch entrepreneur founded a colony. The Argentina ruler at the time gave him the title Governor of the islands despite British protest, Argentina claimed him as their own because he asked their permission (as well as that of England). Nevertheless there was no Argentine involvement in that particular colonization. Shortly after the colony was flattened for by the US in retaliation for some seized seal hunting boats that were hunting illegally.
A penal colony set up after the american incident lasted around 4 days before descending in to anarchy before being expelled by British forces.
After this the first real colony was established by British forces, where it has remained for close to 200 years. This chain of events is supported by records from countries outside of Argentina, I don’t really know much about the records inside Argentina itself, but from some of the claims I have seen it seems as though the above areas are glorified by Argentina to make them seem more valid.
Argentine claims don’t matter. If the people are British the islands are British territory. I’m an islander myself, in Newfoundland. I can tell you now I’d rather be a British Colony once more rather than be given to Canada like we were in ’49. The Falklands are and will continue to be British. I would revolt at the sign of Argentine presence