Uruguay denies submarine cable project to Falkland Islands

The Uruguayan government has categorically denied the existence of an official project to install a submarine telecommunications cable connecting Montevideo to the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). This denial follows reports from Argentine media suggesting that technical studies for a 2,000-kilometer cable are underway to link the archipelago with Uruguayan territory.

Investigations indicate that the Dutch-owned vessel Fugro Supporter has made several stops in the port of Montevideo. While Argentine reports link these movements to a USD 120 million project intended to provide high-capacity bandwidth for the islands and support the Sea Lion oil project, Uruguayan officials state that the Interinstitutional Advisory Commission on Submarine Cables has received no such formal request.

The situation has drawn attention in Argentina due to the involvement of Fugro, a contractor that also performs critical geological work for YPF in the Vaca Muerta region. The potential infrastructure project has introduced new regional tensions regarding maritime jurisdiction and South Atlantic interests.