According to Emol, Economy and Mining Minister Daniel Mas said this Sunday on the program Estado Nacional that the government views trade between Punta Arenas, the capital of the Magallanes region, and the Falkland Islands "favorably". The idea of reopening that maritime route has caused friction with Argentina in recent weeks.
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic, east of Patagonia. The United Kingdom administers the islands, and Argentina has claimed sovereignty over them for decades. For the people of Magallanes, the route means connecting local businesses with a nearby market that currently has virtually no links to the mainland.
Mas described the project as "a business arrangement between private parties". In his view, the Chilean state's role is to safeguard sovereignty, ensure that the operation is safe and establish clear rules. "There is nothing more to it," he said. When asked whether the executive branch would intervene further, he repeated that it was an agreement between private parties.
Regarding the risks to economic activity in the area, the minister drew a comparison with mining deposits near the border. "You always take risks," he said, adding that those projects require operating agreements with Argentina and Peru. In his view, that does not justify cutting off economic operations with neighboring countries.
The local push began in late September. That month, around 40 public and private sector representatives from the Falkland Islands traveled to Punta Arenas for the "Punta Arenas Business Showroom". This business gathering was organized by Mayor Claudio Radonich and is part of the plan to restore the maritime connection with the islands.
Chile's official position has nuances. Defense Minister Fernando Barros reiterated days earlier that the country supports Argentina's claim, but acknowledged that the United Kingdom controls the territory. He also said that any solution must take the islanders' wishes into account. Earlier, on September 3, President José Antonio Kast had reaffirmed his support for Argentina's sovereignty rights to Argentine President Javier Milei.
From Buenos Aires, Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno asked Chile to comply with existing treaties. He recalled that both governments had agreed that no logistical support would be provided from Chilean territory for the exploitation of natural resources on the islands. Responding to Barros, Quirno said: "A president's word overrides a minister's word".
So far, no other source has confirmed Emol's report. The government has announced neither dates nor amounts for regulating the route.
