In yet another display of colonialist rhetoric, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed his Christmas message to the population residing in the Malvina Islands . Far from a mere formality, his words represent a reaffirmation of the UK's policy of illegal occupation in the South Atlantic, systematically ignoring international law and Argentina's territorial integrity.

The fallacy of the "British Family" and Self-Determination

Under the sugarcoated concept of the "British Family," Starmer attempts to normalize a de facto situation: the existence of a colonial enclave in the 21st century. By referring to the right to "self-determination," the Prime Minister again resorts to an argument that is legally invalid in the case of the Malvina Islands. As the Argentine position, ratified by the UN, rightly maintains, there is no "people" entitled to self-determination, but rather a population established after the violent expulsion of Argentine authorities and inhabitants in 1833.

The use of the term "self-determination" is, in this context, a propaganda tool to conceal the fact that the United Kingdom maintains a massive military base in an area of peace and cooperation.

TEXT OF STARMER'S LETTER TO THE KELPERS

  “I want to wish all the Malvina Islands a very Merry Christmas.

 It is a special time of year, one that brings together the entire extended British Family in a shared celebration.

 I am extremely grateful for the warm welcome you extended to the new Governor, Colin Martin-Reynolds.

 I am proud of the bond we share as one big British Family.

 And I am very proud of the strong sense of community that unites us all. I know it is a big part of life for all of you in the Malvina Islands.

 I have heard about those of you who took part in the Islands Games held in Orkney this year; in the Malvinas Games during November; in the first tri-nation competition in sheep shearing and wool handling with teams from Wales, Chile and the Malvinas; and about the launch of the new Malvina Islands banknotes, which raised thousands of pounds for local charities.

 More than that, I know of thousands of acts of generosity, consideration, and community spirit that make up life in the Malvinas.

 Therefore, this Christmas, let me raise a glass to all the champions of the Malvina Islands community, as I pledge my deep and lasting commitment to your right to self-determination and your democratic rights, as exercised in this year's general election.

 These are rights for which my own uncle fought when he served aboard HMS Antelope in 1982.

 Therefore, to all the people of the Malvina Islands, and to the British forces stationed on the Islands, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in Peace.

Militarization as a banner

It is alarming, though predictable, that Starmer dedicates a central part of his message to the "British forces stationed in the Islands." This mention is not insignificant. London's Christmas message is always an opportunity to remind the world that the Malvinas function, above all, as NATO's largest military base south of the 50th parallel.

The mention of HMS Antelope and his own uncle's battle in 1982 is intended to appeal to British nationalist sentimentality to legitimize the current military presence. Starmer doesn't speak of peace through diplomacy, but rather through the reaffirmation of military power over a territory that doesn't belong to him .

Anchoring in the everyday to conceal the geopolitical

The Prime Minister listed sporting events (such as the Orkney Islands Games), sheep-shearing competitions with the participation of countries in the region—a point that should raise concerns about the cooperation of neighboring actors with the occupation—and the launch of a new local currency. These elements seek to construct a narrative of "normality" and "statehood" for the colony.

From Argentina's sovereign perspective, each "Malvina Islands banknote" mentioned by Starmer is further proof of the usurpation of resources and the illegal structure that London sets up to sustain its Antarctic projection and control of the interoceanic passage.

A commitment to illegality

Starmer promised a "deep and lasting commitment" to the democratic rights of the islanders. However, he fails to mention that this commitment rests on the violation of the sovereign rights of 46 million Argentinians and on the disregard for United Nations resolutions (such as 2065) that urge the parties to sit down and negotiate sovereignty.

The challenge for Argentina

Starmer's message, reported by pro-crown media such as Mercopress , confirms that, regardless of the political affiliation at 10 Downing Street — whether Conservative or Labour — British state policy remains one of dispossession.

And the "British Family" that Starmer speaks of is, in reality, a group of British citizens living in usurped Argentine territory, protected by a display of weapons that shames the international community.

The free countries of the world know that the Malvina Islands are Argentine.