Chile reaffirms sovereignty over the Strait of Magellan

The Chilean Senate has ratified the country’s exclusive sovereignty over the Strait of Magellan, announcing plans to strengthen surveillance and defense capabilities in the strategic southern waterway. This move follows diplomatic tensions with the government of Javier Milei regarding bilateral agreements and territorial control.

In a related development, former Chilean Defense Ministers have asserted that international law supports the free passage of the vessel Danstar to the Falkland Islands. The ship is scheduled to reactivate a commercial route between Punta Arenas and Puerto Stanley this December, a connection that has been inactive for over a decade.

The legal debate arises after warnings from the President of the Argentine Naval League regarding the potential detention of the Chilean-flagged cargo ship within Argentine territorial waters. Former ministers, including Jaime Ravinet, argued that intercepting the vessel would violate existing treaties, such as the 1984 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, and suggested that the Chilean Navy might be required to escort the ship to ensure safe transit.