What began as a simple logistical adjustment for the LATAM flight connecting Punta Arenas with the Malvina Islands, with a temporary stopover in Ushuaia, has transformed into a sovereignty conflict that has escalated from the province of Tierra del Fuego to the National Congress.

The epicenter of the controversy is the airline's refusal to recognize the official name of Ushuaia Airport on its global web platform: "Malvinas Argentinas." This act, more than an omission, is a direct attack on the country's sovereignty.

The controversy erupted when Tierra del Fuego media outlets, such as Agenda Malvinas , revealed that the omission of the name was a direct demand from the British colonial authorities . In response to this provocation, the province's governor, Gustavo Melella , reacted and on Saturday the 13th issued a definitive ultimatum: "If LATAM doesn't recognize the name of our airport, then it can say goodbye to Ushuaia."

Although the airline did not change its policy, the flight ultimately took place on Sunday, after having been canceled the day before due to bad weather.

On Sunday the 14th, tension was palpable at the airport, where a heavy security operation was mounted by the Airport Security Police (PSA) and the Navy.

Amid a scene steeped in symbolism, a group of war veterans boarded the plane bound for the islands. Adding a layer of complexity to the incident is the fact that the flight was operated by the Argentine low-cost airline Flybondi , which had recently changed ownership and has corporate ties to British companies.

From public outrage to institutional response

The controversy transcended the province's borders and public discussion expanded, driven by social media and the press . The mayor of Ushuaia, Walter Vuoto , joined the condemnation with a firm message on the social network X, calling LATAM's attitude a "direct attack" on history, the memory of heroes, and national sovereignty. Vuoto declared that "the name Malvinas Argentinas is the flag, identity, dignity, and pride of an entire people."

However, despite the firmness of Gustavo Melella 's initial public statements, the lack of concrete action by the provincial government raised more than a few questions. Although the governor later announced that he would send a formal complaint to LATAM, subsequent events once again demonstrated the passivity of the Tierra del Fuego state in the face of the continued omission on the airline's website . This demonstrated the vulnerability of Argentina's position to the United Kingdom's fait accompli policy.

The controversy reaches the National Congress

The escalation reached its peak these hours ago with the presentation of a draft resolution in the Chamber of Deputies of the Nation.

Representative Inés Carolina Yutrovic is promoting an initiative that expresses "strong condemnation" of LATAM's actions and, most importantly, urges the National Executive Branch to take action to stop the airline from ignoring the airport's legal name .

The bill's rationale makes it clear that the dispute is not a mere logistical detail, but an attack on a symbol of Argentine sovereignty, protected by the National Constitution . The initiative argues that allowing this omission would be equivalent to "condoning a setback in our strategy of sovereign reaffirmation" and that "eliminating a name laden with political and legal significance undermines the collective memory."

Ultimately, the decision of a commercial company has exposed a point of contention in Argentine foreign policy and triggered a chain reaction. The question now is whether the forceful institutional response, which has escalated to the national legislature, will be enough to force LATAM to rectify its position and honor the airport's official name, or whether, for the time being, the will of the British usurper will continue to prevail.

The project of Representative Yutrovic was supported by the national legislators of the Lower House of the National Congress: Andrea Freites,  Monica  Litza,  Lichi Marín, Koky Araujo, Lorena  Pokoik, Eugenia Aianello, Agustina Propato, Ernesto Alí,  Liliana Paponet, Jorge Romero, Natalia Zabala,  Eduardo Toniolli, Blanca Osuna, Martin Aveiro,  Ana Ianni, Nancy Sand, Pablo Todero, Eduardo Valdez ; belonging to the provinces of Santa Cruz, Entre Ríos, Neuquén, Mendoza, San Luis, Santa Fe, Province of Buenos Aires, Caba and Corrientes .