The armed patrol vessel FPV Lilibet , an official ship of the illegitimate government of the Malvina Islands, arrived this Monday at the Uruguayan port of Piriápolis, making "an unscheduled technical stop due to adverse weather conditions in the South Atlantic." This was reported yesterday by the Uruguayan website Visión Marítima .

The presence of this vessel, dedicated to the surveillance of the usurped zone administered by the occupying power in the South Atlantic, exposes and underlines the level of logistical and political relationship that the Eastern Republic of Uruguay provides to the British usurpers , so that they perpetuate the illegal exploitation of Argentine fishing resources.

The same source indicates: “ Sources consulted indicated that the crew will take advantage of the stop to  inspect the hull , perform routine checks and wait for essential spare parts before resuming their patrol activities.”

The mission of Lilibet

The Lilibet , a Damen Stan 5009 type maritime patrol vessel, flying the United Kingdom flag, It arrived in the Malvina Islands in April 2023, chartered by the illegitimate Malvina Islands government through a 15-year agreement with Seagull Maritime Ltd. The vessel, nicknamed after Queen Elizabeth II 's little girl, was designed specifically to protect a resource that provides 65% of the colonial government's revenue: the sale of fishing licenses and the exploitation of the valuable resource, mainly squid (Ilex squid ), harvested by partner fleets from Spain, South Korea and Taiwan .

Main features:

·         Maximum speed: approximately 28 knots (52 km/h) .

·         Patrol autonomy: up to 42 days sailing at 10 knots.

·         Range: close to 10,000 nautical miles .

·         Logistical capacity: on-board provisions for 60 days .

·         Auxiliary vessel: a RIB fast boat capable of reaching 38 knots .

·         Secondary capabilities: search and rescue (SAR) functions, firefighting equipment, recovery nets, stretchers and a platform suitable for helicopter operations .

·         Armament: It can mount heavy weaponry such as .50 caliber machine guns, although it usually operates unarmed .

·         Communications: Broadband system that allows fisheries officers remote access to databases and tools from Stanley.

Its stated mission is to combat illegal fishing in the waters surrounding the islands . However, its operation takes place within a context of territorial usurpation and the plundering of Argentine natural resources in an area subject to Argentina's ongoing sovereignty claim, which has been systematically ignored by the United Kingdom .

Uruguayan collaboration exposed

The arrival of the Lilibet in Uruguay is much more than a simple logistical event in response to a weather event . It is an act framed within a collaborative relationship that is directly linked to the historical and ongoing sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom.

Yesterday, Monday, he was photographed in front of the port of Piriapolis, making an unplanned technical stop due to the weather conditions recorded in the south of the continent.

This technical stopover is just the tip of the iceberg of the systematic and extensive logistical support that Uruguay provides to the British-established colony in the South Atlantic . Uruguayan territory is used as a key resupply point and entry point for supplies to the colony , facilitating:

This collaboration applies not only to surveillance vessels like the Lilibet , but also to Spanish, Korean, and other fishing vessels that plunder the South Atlantic with illegitimate fishing licenses sold by the usurpers. By providing vital and essential support, the Uruguayan state becomes an accomplice and tacit tactical partner in the illegal exploitation of Argentine resources and a facilitator of British expansion in the South Atlantic.

While Argentine foreign policy calls for "reopening bilateral negotiations" in accordance with UN resolutions, the United Kingdom reaffirms that sovereignty "is not up for discussion." The logistical escalation from Uruguay undermines any Argentine efforts, facilitating the occupiers' operations in an area strategic for its fishing resources and its projection towards Antarctica.

In any case, the attitude of the Argentine governments of the last 10 years is not an example to demand loyalty and patriotic commitment from Uruguay, when they themselves have allowed the consolidation and colonial expansion and the British to govern de facto; 70 percent of the Argentine maritime area within the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands.

Sources:

Maritime Vision

Malvinas Agenda