Latin Analysis: Does South America Own Antarctica?
henrique setim
Chilean president Gabriel Boric started off this new year by making history as the first Latin American leader to step foot on Antarctica’s South Pole. A mission supposedly motivated by environmental monitoring and scientific activity, Boric’s trip potentially signifies a shift in the political dynamics within the region. Many have perceived the Chilean president’s move as a clear attempt to consolidate the country’s sovereignty claim over Antarctica and prompted questions about the continent’s ownership.
Who does Antarctica belong to?
Antarctica is not ruled by any one nation but governed by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty. This agreement ensured that Antarctica would be used solely for peaceful purposes, scientific investigations would be facilitated, and results and observations freely shared. The treaty was signed by the twelve countries “whose scientists had been active in and around Antarctica” between 1957-58, with the seven states that claimed sovereignty over the region putting their ownership claim aside during the 100 year duration of the treaty. These claimant states included Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom, with the United States and Russia maintaining a basis to claim. Some of these territorial claims are not recognized, apart from in cases where the claims made by the respective countries do not overlap.
Within Latin America, Chile and Argentina “have mutually recognized their respective indisputable sovereignty rights over their claimed Antarctic territories” since the 1940s, despite the partial overlapping of their supposed territories. They have both adopted a relatively bilateral approach to Antarctica regarding research and scientific discoveries, standing together against what they perceived as Northern imperialism in the region – especially that of the United Kingdom. They have endeavored to protect what they see as their “historical rights to the continent, inherited from the time when they were Spanish colonies”. However, Boric’s historic visit has been perceived by many as an attempt to further consolidate Chile’s claim over Antarctica, which may spell trouble for the relationship between Southern Cone nations, as well as with other Antarctic Treaty signatories.
What is Chile’s claim?
Chile first claimed ownership over Antarctica in 1940, “creating a significant overlap with that already announced by Britain”. Although one of the original signatories of the 1959 treaty, Chile has always maintained its claim over the Navarino Island, part of the Antarctic Territory, and the Alberto de Agostini and Cabo de Hornos National parks. The Chilean Antarctic region is around 1,250,000km2, making it the largest province in Chile. Attempts to bolster their territorial claims were carried out in 1984 under dictator General Augusto Pinochet, with the founding of a Chilean civilian settlement in the region. Villa Las Estrellas was set up in 1984, and has less than two hundred inhabitants, one of only two civilian colonies set up in Antarctica.
As well as Boric’s recent visit, the Chilean government held meetings with defense officials in the Antarctic last May, to make their presence known in the region amid rising tensions over Russian research in the Weddell Sea, near the tip of South America. Additionally, despite Chile’s previous tendency to concentrate its efforts on the Northern part of Antarctica, Boric’s recent statement during his visit indicated Chilean intentions to expand into the Bellingshausen and Weddell seas.
What is Argentina’s claim?
Maintaining “the longest permanent and uninterrupted presence on the continent”, Argentina has occupied the South Orkney Islands since 1904. Its claim was consolidated in 1947, when its boundaries were defined, although they were “entirely overlapped by the preceding claims of both Britain and Chile”. The so-called Argentinian Antarctic Sector (AAS) measures at around 1,461,597km2, and is categorized as part of Argentina’s Tierra de Fuego province. They currently operate thirteen bases, and like Chile, established a civilian colony in 1953. Research station Esperanza Base is home to over fifty residents.
After the signing of the treaty, Argentina shifted its focus to exerting influence within the system set up by the agreement, focusing on science and environmental protection. This has allowed the country to play a key role in the Antarctic Treaty System, with the Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty located in Buenos Aires. Apart from tension with Chile, there is a continued rivalry between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the Antarctic, partially due to the significant overlap between their claimed territories, worsened by their historical animosity.
Has this caused tension in South America?
Given their overlapping territorial claims and proximity to Antarctica, one might expect significant tension between Argentina and Chile. However, both nations have maintained relative peace since the late 1940s, especially following the Antarctic Treaty. Prior to the agreement, the two South American states published two joint declarations in 1947 and 1948, promising “not only broad cooperation in the area but also- most importantly- joint defense against third parties for this South American Antarctic claimed by both countries”. Disagreements over rights to waterways between the two countries escalated tensions in the late-1970s and early 1980s, which culminated in their signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship in late 1984. This reduced animosity and encouraged good mannered relations between the two countries regarding many issues, including Antarctica’s sovereignty.
However, collaboration between these two South American states was threatened in 2020, when Argentina updated its political map in response to research regarding its continental shelf. Historically, maps of Argentina marked the province of Córdoba as the center of the country. However, in this 2020 map, Córdoba was moved north, with the Tierra del Fuego becoming the new central point. Maritime limits changed from beyond two hundred miles, and Antarctica was included as part of Argentinian territory. This provoked widespread rejection in Chile, leading to the country enlarging its continental shelf by 30,500km2 in 2021, and implementing these new limits by decree. Argentina condemned this, arguing that 5,500km2 of this were Argentine, with the rest belonging to no nation in particular. What has followed could be defined as a relative ‘tit for tat’ between the two countries. The relatively new leadership in Argentina has potentially contributed to this; Argentina’s president Javier Milei seems to favor closer relations with the United States, rather than strengthening bonds with neighbors whose political doctrine potentially do not align with his own. After a visit to Ushuaia in April 2024, the Argentinian president vowed to expand its “strategic alliance” with the United States.
Given the current global climate crisis, it is more important than ever that we see collaboration and communication, especially within an area so environmentally important as Antarctica. Only together can leaders protect our world and prevent the destruction of our planet. Boric’s visit to the South Pole has marked the beginning of what could be a lengthy process of contention over Antarctica’s sovereignty. However, what leaders should be more concerned about is complying with the important articles of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, which put the protection of this continent above geopolitical interests.
