Argentina to sue companies extracting oil near the Malvinas Islands

Argentina's Foreign Ministry will sue the companies Navitas Petroleum and Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas for developing oil fields near the disputed Malvinas (Falkland) Islands without Buenos Aires' permission.

This was reported by the office of the president of the South American country, Javier Milei.

"Today the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Pablo Quirno <…> will file a criminal complaint against the companies Navitas Petroleum Development & Production Ltd., Navitas Petroleum Atlantic United, Navitas Petroleum LP, JHI Associates Inc. and Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas," the statement says.

According to the Foreign Ministry, these companies "allegedly obtained licenses from the illegitimate government of the United Kingdom for the exploration and production of hydrocarbons in the North Malvinas Basin" in violation of Argentine law. The Argentine government will sue not only the legal entities, but also the companies' shareholders.

On September 3, in an address to the nation, Milei announced that he would submit to parliament a bill tightening sanctions against companies extracting oil near the Malvinas Islands. The reason was the imminent launch of a project to develop oil fields near the Malvinas Islands by the British company Rockhopper Exploration and the Israeli company Navitas Petroleum.

The Malvinas (Falkland) Islands consist of 2 large and almost 800 small islands with an area of slightly more than 12,000 square kilometers and a population of about 3,200 people. For 200 years they have been the subject of a territorial dispute between Argentina and Great Britain. In April 1982, an armed conflict broke out between the countries. The South American republic was defeated in it, losing 649 servicemen over two and a half months of hostilities. Losses on the British side amounted to 255 people. Argentina continues to try to challenge Great Britain's possession of the islands through UN mechanisms, but so far the parties have failed to reach a compromise.