The Secretary of the Malvinas, Antarctic and South Atlantic, Guillermo Carmona, assured today that the United Kingdom “violated the territorial integrity of Argentina and maintained the colonial regime” in the Malvinas Islands in response to the British Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, who celebrated a disputed referendum held in 2013 in social networks.

The Argentine official warned that the referendum had “no legal value” under international law and called for “continuing negotiations on sovereignty” of the islands.

“You know, Mr. James Cleverly, that without endorsement or recognition from the United Nations, an alleged ‘referendum’ has no legal value under international law,” Carmona wrote on his official Twitter account.

Argentine officials spoke this way about the referendum held in the Malvinas Islands between March 10 and 11, 2013, in which 99.8 percent of the population voted to retain their political status as a British Overseas territory.

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the consultation, the British minister published a video conversation with Leona Roberts, member of the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands, in which she ratified Britain’s “unwavering commitment” to the islanders and emphasized that the “Falkland Islands” belonged to Britain.

“As long as they want to be part of the British family, we will protect their right to be part of the British family,” Cleverly said during a conversation with Roberts.

In response, Carmona recalled that ten years after the referendum, “they were denied recognition for not complying with the UN Charter or UN General Assembly Resolution 2065”.

“The United Kingdom violated Argentina’s territorial integrity and maintained a colonial regime more than 13,000 kilometers from its capital. Your communication today is further evidence of the colonial nature of the relationship your government maintains with the Malvinas Islands,” said Carmona.

In addition, the secretary ratified that Argentina “struggles to respect international law” in the Malvinas Islands and maintains a “constructive and purposeful spirit.”

“Continuing negotiations on sovereignty is an imperative of international law and an Argentine commitment. Malvinas is Argentina,” added Carmona. (submerged)