Recommended
United States President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that he could withdraw US support for British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, historically claimed by Argentina.
"I always review all positions. That is just one among many," Trump replied to the press in the Oval Office when asked about the matter.
Trump's statements come after British media reported that his Administration may be considering withdrawing its support for British sovereignty over the Falklands to pressure London to increase its defense spending.
According to the London-based newspaper The Telegraph, this proposal is among the list of measures being drafted by the Pentagon as a form of coercion to reach the 5% spending commitment in NATO.
Although the official stance of the United States on the Falklands is one of neutrality and does not explicitly endorse British sovereignty, it does recognize the 'de facto' administration that London exercises over the archipelago.
The historic struggle between Argentina and the United Kingdom led to an armed conflict between April 2 and June 14, 1982, which concluded with the surrender of the South American country and the deaths of 649 Argentines, 255 British, and three Falkland Islanders.
Since then, the United Kingdom has rejected Argentine claims over the islands, despite repeated calls for dialogue from the United Nations, which considers the Falklands one of the territories "pending decolonization".
In March 2013, the nearly 3,000 people living in the Falklands supported remaining a British territory in a referendum, with over 99% in favor.
[Publicidad]