The Magallanes Crisis and the Future of Chilean-Argentine Relations

While it is true that we have much in common that unites us, we must work on the mistrust that hinders progress, separates us, and does not aid the integration process of both nations.

On Thursday, August 27, 2026, a Chile-Argentina integration seminar was held in Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina. The date had been chosen months earlier, independent of the controversy generated by the unfortunate remarks of the Chief of Staff of the Argentine Air Force made on the program “La Fábrica del Podcast,” which elicited interesting reactions on both sides of the Andes.

It was an event organized by AthenaLab and the Argentine Council for International Relations (CARI), accompanied by the Undersecretary of Public Security of Chile, Pilar Giannini, the Executive Secretary of the Chilean Council for International Relations (CCRI), and members of the Rioplatense Foundation for Studies (FREE). The event, which took place throughout the morning of the 27th, included opening and closing remarks and three panels covering the topics mentioned below:

• Chile and Argentina in the current geopolitical context
• Regional security, emerging threats, and defense
• Strategic economy and bilateral integration as pillars of Argentine-Chilean prosperity

The idea is to hold these meetings every six months, with the next one scheduled to take place in Santiago in March 2027, where, in addition to continuing to develop the aforementioned topics in greater depth, the main focus will be to address the present and historical mistrust that separates both countries and complicates integration processes. We will do the same under the same format with Bolivia and Peru. Neighborly relations must be of the utmost priority for Chile’s foreign policy.

This example of civil society in action, a meeting for the integration of two countries organized by two think tanks, one Chilean and the other Argentine, occurred in parallel to meetings taking place in Chile on energy and mining issues organized and agreed upon by the respective foreign ministries. These are real and tangible examples of the search for integration and rapprochement between countries that have been both united and separated by the Andes Mountains for over 200 years. The goal is for the next 200 years to be qualitatively better. Together we are stronger.

While it is true that we have much in common that unites us, we must work on the mistrust that hinders progress, separates us, and does not aid the integration process of both nations. Addressing mistrust was one of the main conclusions of the meeting on August 27, 2026, and it will be the primary focus of the meeting we will have in Santiago in March 2027. Let us start by examining what separates us and see if these are issues we can resolve or set aside as the case may be.

For Chile, it is non-negotiable, I repeat, non-negotiable, the unrestricted respect by both countries for the boundary treaties of 1881 and the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 (TPA). The TPA incorporates a mechanism for the peaceful resolution of disputes, which is very useful given that we have a very long land and maritime border where differences can arise, such as the case of the collision between the Chilean continental shelf and the extended Argentine shelf, as well as the extended trans-Andean delimitation generated by the TPA, particularly regarding point F.

Incorrect statements from Argentine military leaders do not help, as they are exploited by social media to create conflicts where none should exist. More than 40 years after the signing of the TPA, one would expect that each side knows where the limits of their respective countries begin and end.

To conclude, we understand Argentina’s position regarding the Falklands (Malvinas for Argentina), South Georgia, and South Sandwich Islands, but we see it as a bilateral issue between them and the British, where obviously the Falklanders also have a say. It is not a matter for Chile, and it is one in which we must avoid being dragged in. We gain nothing by getting involved, as what the Argentines and British agree upon is not in Chile’s national interest. Our participation in the problems of third parties has only brought us issues, where we gain nothing by supporting one side or the other.

RICHARD KOUYOUMDJIAN
Executive Vice President AthenaLab