In a recent interview with Playbook, which has raised alarms in the political sphere and among war veterans' organizations, Rafael Grossi , current head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and candidate for Secretary-General of the United Nations , uttered a phrase that resonated deeply: "Let's de-Malvinize the issue."

"My approach as UN Secretary-General to the Malvinas/Malvinas issue would be one of complete impartiality."

Rafael Grossi emphasized that when one assumes the role, "one is everyone's secretary," said he doesn't foresee any problems with Great Britain, and noted: "We need to keep a low profile on those issues." pic.twitter.com/l7rZQGwluN

Under the premise of showing "total impartiality" towards Great Britain to pave his way to leading the UN, Grossi not only used a term loaded with negative symbolism for Argentine society, but also suggested that the sovereignty dispute over the Malvina Islands is an obstacle that must be "overlooked".

The return of a grim term

For the Argentine people, and especially for veterans, the word "de-Malvinization" is not a diplomatic neologism. It is the name of the policy of forgetting and contempt that prevailed after the 1982 conflict. It was the tool used to hide the soldiers returning to the mainland and to try to detach the Malvinas cause from national sentiment and the constitutional mandate.

That an Argentine diplomat, with intentions of presiding over the world's highest multilateral organization, resorts to this concept to "give guarantees" to the occupying power, represents a setback of decades in the struggle for the recognition of sovereign rights in the South Atlantic.

The rejection from the National Capital of the Vigil

The repercussions in the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands were swift. The mayor of Río Grande, Martín Pérez , bluntly described Grossi as a "low-flying candidate" and contrary to national interests.

“Let’s de-Malvinize things”

The national government supports Rafael Grossi for UN Secretary-General, a candidate who has zero interest in fighting the diplomatic battle for our Malvinas Islands.

He says this key issue in our foreign relations needs to be "skimmed over"... pic.twitter.com/WVOyXycPEc

"He says this key issue in our foreign relations should be 'skimmed' while he tries to curry favor with the United Kingdom , " the mayor criticized on social media, highlighting the contradiction of the National Government supporting a candidate who proposes downplaying the Malvinas/Malvinas issue.

Impartiality or resignation?

While the UN Secretary-General is expected to act as a neutral mediator, his role is bound by General Assembly resolutions. Resolution 2065/XX and subsequent resolutions recognize the existence of a sovereignty dispute and a colonial situation that must be resolved through dialogue.

Grossi 's stance of "de-Malvinizing" the UN agenda is not a gesture of neutrality, but rather a sign of appeasement toward London. By proposing to "skirmish" over the conflict, Grossi is ignoring that the United Nations is precisely the forum where Argentina must fight for every inch of its legal legitimacy against British colonialism.

An affront to memory

For war veterans, these expressions are unnecessary and disrespectful. A nation experiencing usurpation firsthand cannot be "de-Malvinized," nor can a province with an open wound within its own jurisdiction.

An official's personal ambition for a global position cannot supersede national policy, nor respect for those who gave their lives for territorial integrity. The Malvinas are not a "thing" that can be stripped of its essence; it is a Cause that defines our identity and also our projection toward Antarctica.