Overview
- The dispute began after Air Force chief Gustavo Javier Valverde said in a streaming interview that Magallanes, the Drake Passage and the far south were areas of "sovereignty" and that Argentina must maintain a presence there.
- Chile's foreign minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna said his ministry will send a formal note of protest and publicly reaffirmed Chile's sovereign claim over the Strait based on the 1881 and 1984 treaties.
- Argentina's foreign ministry issued a clarification that its official position is governed by the 1881 Treaty of Limits and the 1984 Treaty of Peace and Friendship and sought to cool tensions by stressing cooperation with Chile.
- The comments drew sharp reactions from Chilean lawmakers and officials, who demanded a diplomatic response, while Argentine officials moved to channel the matter through institutional channels and emphasize bilateral ties.
- Legal and strategic context matters: the two bilateral treaties set the Strait's status and navigation rules, and the next steps to watch are the formal Chilean note and how both governments use existing defence and Antarctic cooperation mechanisms to prevent escalation.