Legislator Matías Lapadula (Grande Province) presented a project to extend to the entire province the regulations established in the Deliberative Council of Ushuaia , where the use of the toponymy "Malvinas" was prohibited , a name used by British colonialism that usurped the insular and maritime territories of Argentina in the South Atlantic, in all local tourist and commercial activity.
The objective is for the institutional ban to apply to the entire territory of Tierra del Fuego, and for the name "Islas Malvinas" to be the only one recognized for the archipelago in all dissemination and promotion media.
The previous ordinance of the Ushuaia City Council was promoted by Nicolás Pelolli, a councilor for the ruling party, and penalizes the use of the Anglo-Saxon term because it is considered favorable to the interests of the illegitimate colonial occupation.
Now, legislator Lapadula —who also proposes similar sanctions throughout the province —is seeking to expand the scope to all of Tierra del Fuego through a bill that, in its rationale, cites the National Constitution and UN resolutions on Argentina's legitimate sovereignty over the islands and maritime spaces in the area.
The central idea is that any form of dissemination, advertising or promotion that uses the term “Malvina Islands” is considered an infringement , with specific fines and penalties .
The bill establishes that individuals or legal entities that operate, promote, or disseminate goods and services in digital media, print publications, brochures, signage, advertising, or any other medium aimed at residents and tourists must refer to the islands as the "Malvinas Islands," in line with Argentina's official sovereign defense position.
It also prohibits the prioritization or prominent display of the name in English and establishes fines ranging from 5,000 UVAs (Purchasing Value Units), equivalent to approximately 7,206,500 Argentine pesos, as of May 1, 2025.
This amount would increase up to three times in repeat offenders , in addition to the obligation to withdraw the dissemination products.
The fundamental objective, according to Lapadula , is “ to guarantee respect for national identity and reaffirm Argentina’s sovereign position over the disputed territories .”
The regulations also stipulate that compliance be regulated and monitored through the Secretariat for the Malvinas, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands, and that the funds raised from fines be allocated to awareness campaigns on Argentine sovereignty and cultural activities related to the Malvinas cause .
