Caputo's claim and Milei's amplification
Santiago Caputo, the main adviser to Argentina's president, argued that the country must recover the Malvinas Islands because the United Kingdom is being colonized by Islam. In a long post on X, he described the situation as an imminent risk to the West and a historical tragedy for those who defend freedom. He added that Argentina should project itself firmly toward the South Atlantic and reclaim the islands. President Javier Milei immediately reposted the message.[S1][S2][S3]
Caputo also said that given the strategic geopolitical importance the South Atlantic will acquire in coming decades, the West cannot allow an Islamic state to interfere in that area of influence. He shared a video of Labour MP Sagal Abdi-Wali taking her oath in the House of Commons with her hand on the Koran. The clip had been circulated by Javier Negre, owner of La Derecha Diario and former partner of Fernando Cerimedo. Caputo insisted that recovering the Malvinas is not only a national cause but a cause of the West.[S1][S2][S3]
Diplomatic escalation over oil
The post came one day after Milei's government confirmed it had asked the Tribunal of the Sea in Hamburg to suspend oil exploitation in the Malvinas. The aim is to obtain an injunction halting oil companies operating in the waters around the islands, in the so-called North Basin. The filing is the latest chapter in the libertarian administration's diplomatic battle for sovereignty over the archipelago, which includes economic sanctions and a bill to strengthen security, defense, and resource control.[S1][S2][S3]
Britain responded quickly. The Labour administration of Andy Burnham announced it is preparing a legal shield to protect oil companies from Milei's sanctions. London said it will use powers under its Protection of Trading Interests legislation to prevent British firms and citizens from being forced to comply with Argentine measures it considers extraterritorial. The British response was communicated immediately after the Argentine filing.[S1][S2]
Backdrop of anti-Muslim comments
Caputo's post is one in a series of comments against the Muslim community. Libertarian influencer Daniel Parisini, known as Gordo Dan, often speaks in the same vein and was recently denounced by the Islamic Center. Milei himself defended Gordo Dan, angering Argentina's Islamic community. Adalberto Assad, president of the Argentine Arab Islamic Association, said the community felt offended by the situation and questioned Milei's message urging people to take note of the complaint against the main libertarian influencer.[S1][S2]
In the message posted by Gordo Dan and reposted by Milei, Islam is linked to rape, beheadings, and pedophilia, among other atrocities, while the influencer who leads the Carajo stream insisted that Islam wants to censor the West's cultural battle. The Argentine Islamic community has already expressed its displeasure. The question now is whether this stance will affect diplomatic relations with Middle Eastern countries, several of which have historically supported Argentina's claim over the Malvinas.[S1][S2]
