Forty Years After the Falklands War, Argentinians Pine for ‘Las Malvinas’ while Brits See Doing ‘What’s Right’
The Falklands war has left its mark on both Britons and Argentinians, reverberating in politics — and on the pitch.
LONDON — On 2 April 1982, Argentina launched an invasion of the Falkland Islands [or las Islas Malvinas] which resulted in the British deploying forces to the Falkland Islands to fight in, known as the Falklands War.
Although the war ended 40 years ago in June 1982, Argentines still claim that the islands should belong to them and not the British. As of today, Argentinians living in the U.K. have recently expressed their frustrations over the hardships they faced during the war and how it still continues to haunt them.
On June 1, Argentina’s national soccer team played Italy’s national soccer team for a trophy in what is known as the “Finalissima” where the champions of South America play the champions of Europe. The game took place in Wembley Stadium in London, and the fans did not just focus their cries and chants towards the game, but as an outlet for their political views as well.
Daniel Hernandez, 37, was born in London but was raised in Buenos Aires. He said that he had family that were soldiers in the war and had risked their lives to take back what is rightfully theirs.
“The British have no right owning those islands,” said Hernandez in an interview in Spanish. “The Falklands belong to the wonderful country of Argentina.”
Hernandez’s father is British which is why he was born in England, to essentially get away from, “a poorer country.” His mother moved to the U.K. to be with her husband and in search of a better life for her son.
It is safe to say that there is an obsession of the Falkland Islands for Argentina. In a 2021 survey of 5,000 Argentines, around 90 percent said the country should continue to claim sovereignty over the islands and only about 10 percent said it should stop.
As of April 3 of this year, all transportation services will have the slogan, “Las Islas Malvinas son Argentinas.” This was declared by the Secretary of Transportation, governor Diego Giuliano and was based on an agreement made by the current Argentine president, Alberto Fernández, at the beginning of the 2022. Fernandez declared the phrase as the official slogan of the country in honor of the 40th anniversary of the war.
Lautaro Menendez, who hails from the Argentinian town called Colon in the capital city of Buenos Aires, yelled passionately in Spanish while waving the Argentine flag as he watched the game. “Those islands are ours! Let’s go Argentina! Those Brits can’t touch us!”
As much as the Argentines wish to “take back” the islands, the British have different ideas in mind. British-Argentine relations will be at a standstill as long as the U.K. refuses to engage in discussions about the future sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.
Not all U.K. citizens seem to have this issue at the top of their list. British resident Paul Hatcher was born and raised in Huddersfield and now lives in London. He remembers as a boy the hatred his family would have over Argentina both for political and sport related matters. Hatcher says he grew up learning to hate anyone from Argentina because of their mannerisms and attitudes. The majority of British people, including Hatcher’s family, are very upset about one iconic moment in sports history where Diego Maradona scored his famous, “Hand of God,” moment against England in the 1986 World Cup, knocking them out of the tournament.
Maradona and his long time representative and friend, Guillermo Coppola, were very patriotic and huge supporters for those soldiers who risked their lives for their country. It is known that in 1982, Maradona started a program for the Argentine soldiers and donated 100 million pesos to the cause.
Since Maradona is such a icon in Argentina, and to some viewed as a god, his followers will have the same reaction and passion as he did for their country. Even though the war is over, the fight is not. Argentina is still attempting to open up negotiations with the British government to potentially claim the Falkland Islands as their own.
When British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke at a 40th anniversary event last week to pay tribute to veterans, he portrayed it as a moment in which “our Armed Forces showed that we would stand up for what was right.” Johnson added: “We were fighting for the essential principle that the Falkland Islanders, like people everywhere, have a sovereign right to decide their own destiny and choose their own loyalty.”
