May 13th, 1978: Relations between Argentina & Chile deteriorate further; Civil War appears all but imminent
The long dispute over the Beagle Channel between Argentina & Chile continued to sour diplomatic relations between the two neighboring South American nations. On January 25th, a ruling from the International Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of Chile, which granted them the three disputed islands in the Beagle Channel: Picton, Lennox & Nueva. In reaction to the ruling by the ICOA, the Argentinean government rejected the ruling. Soon afterwards, a 180-day negotiations period was established on February 3rd, which was originally scheduled to end on November 3rd & although the fourth round of negotiation talks began on May 7th in Santiago, little progress was made. On May 13th, the situation had reached an epic crisis proportions with armed forces of both South American nations put on extreme high alert.
Another key question was about the control of the Antartic & Cape Horn, & also over potential supplies of fish, krill, materials & petroleum. To make things intriguing, Bolivia suddenly broke off diplomatic relations with Chile on March 17th over the problem of accessing to the Pacific Ocean.
In the meantime, Argentina had been having ongoing diplomatic disputes with Great Britain over the Falklands (which US President Jerry Brown controversially backed Argentina's right of the Falklands) exacerbated by the continuing occupation of uninhabited Southern Thule Island in Britain's South Sandwich Islands by Argentinean scientists.
During a televised address from the Casa Rosada (Government Office) in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentine President Isabel Peron discussed the ongoing crisis over the Beagle Channel Crisis including justifying using any possible military options in reclaiming the rights of the Picton, Lennox & Nueva Islands by any means necessary: "The Picton, Lennox and Nueva Islands all belong to the Argentine Republic and as President, I will do everything in my power to ensure that the islands in question belong to the indefinite sovereignty of Argentina! To those, who accuse us of being ignorant of this so-called court ruling, there will be consequences for those including many in the Chilean government, who want to stir things up by meddling in Argentinean international affairs. You will face severe consequences that you've never seen before. This is NOT a bluff whatsoever!"
The long dispute over the Beagle Channel between Argentina & Chile continued to sour diplomatic relations between the two neighboring South American nations. On January 25th, a ruling from the International Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of Chile, which granted them the three disputed islands in the Beagle Channel: Picton, Lennox & Nueva. In reaction to the ruling by the ICOA, the Argentinean government rejected the ruling. Soon afterwards, a 180-day negotiations period was established on February 3rd, which was originally scheduled to end on November 3rd & although the fourth round of negotiation talks began on May 7th in Santiago, little progress was made. On May 13th, the situation had reached an epic crisis proportions with armed forces of both South American nations put on extreme high alert.
Another key question was about the control of the Antartic & Cape Horn, & also over potential supplies of fish, krill, materials & petroleum. To make things intriguing, Bolivia suddenly broke off diplomatic relations with Chile on March 17th over the problem of accessing to the Pacific Ocean.
In the meantime, Argentina had been having ongoing diplomatic disputes with Great Britain over the Falklands (which US President Jerry Brown controversially backed Argentina's right of the Falklands) exacerbated by the continuing occupation of uninhabited Southern Thule Island in Britain's South Sandwich Islands by Argentinean scientists.
During a televised address from the Casa Rosada (Government Office) in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentine President Isabel Peron discussed the ongoing crisis over the Beagle Channel Crisis including justifying using any possible military options in reclaiming the rights of the Picton, Lennox & Nueva Islands by any means necessary: "The Picton, Lennox and Nueva Islands all belong to the Argentine Republic and as President, I will do everything in my power to ensure that the islands in question belong to the indefinite sovereignty of Argentina! To those, who accuse us of being ignorant of this so-called court ruling, there will be consequences for those including many in the Chilean government, who want to stir things up by meddling in Argentinean international affairs. You will face severe consequences that you've never seen before. This is NOT a bluff whatsoever!"
