Lord Cameron ‘not welcome’ in Tierra del Fuego

Lord Cameron ‘not welcome’ in Tierra del Fuego

Melella argued that Lord Cameron’s presence was “a provocation”

Gustavo Melella, Governor of the Argentine Province of Tierra del Fuego and the South Atlantic Islands -to which the British Overseas Territories in the region technically belong- Monday declared British Foreign Secretary and former Prime Minister David Cameron “persona non grata” after the latter landed in Stanley for a series of engagements.

 Melella argued that Lord Cameron’s presence was “a provocation” despite recent talks with President Javier Milei in which both leaders seemed to “agree to disagree” in matters of sovereignty while moving forward on other fronts of mutual interests.

“The presence of David Cameron in our Malvinas Islands configures a new British provocation that seeks to undermine our legitimate sovereign rights over our territories and sustain colonialism in the XXI Century. We will not allow it,” Melella wrote on X.

“No colonial representative of a State that attempts against our territorial integrity by sullying the memory and the eternal sacrifice of our Malvinas Heroes will be welcome in our province,” he also noted.

The governor underlined that as long as “British usurpation” persisted and the United Kingdom “continues refusing to resume the negotiations established by the International Community”, the struggle to “legitimize Argentine sovereignty over the island territory” will continue.

Meanwhile, in Buenos Aires, comments from Vice President Victoria Villarruel regarding Cameron’s trip were awaited since she is the daughter of a veteran of the 1982 War but to no avail.

Before his trip, Cameron had insisted: “We are clear that, as long as they want to remain part of the family, the sovereignty issue will not be discussed.”

Argentine Foreign Ministry sources were quoted late Monday as saying that Lord Cameron would hopefully convey to the Islanders the new scenario under President Milei.

Before that, former Malvinas Secretary Guillermo Carmona underlined that “The Argentine Foreign Ministry remains silent in the face of a provocation that demands a diplomatic reaction.”

“If the repudiation and protest do not come from the Government, let us show as a people that we do not consent to colonialism,” he added