The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile, Francisco Pérez Mackenna, stated this Wednesday that the country does not require "the support of anyone to defend its sovereignty" in response to the ambassador of the United States in Santiago, Brandon Judd. The American diplomat had subordinated Washington's support regarding the Strait of Magellan to "joint work," amid the ongoing controversy from Argentina since August over the control of this maritime route, after Argentine military personnel linked the southern area to Argentine sovereignty.
During his speech at the annual Global Trade Day event, Judd pointed out that if Chile intends to "use American resources to combat organized crime" and "a country that helps protect its rights in the Strait of Magellan," it must "work on the issues that are important to Washington," according to the Chilean newspaper 'La Tercera'.
These words generated discomfort in Pérez Mackenna, who in his appearance before Congress emphasized that the Strait of Magellan "was, is, and will always be Chilean" and reiterated that Chile can "defend its sovereignty by itself" without "needing the support of anyone."
The head of Chilean diplomacy also indicated that he will have to "evaluate" whether he will take any measures or issue a warning to the American ambassador, stating that "he does not rule anything out until the evaluation is complete."
Nevertheless, he wanted to make it clear that "relations with the United States are historical, have always been good, and that will not change with this."
In parallel, the Minister of Defense, Fernando Barros, also before Congress, confirmed this Wednesday that he had verified the Chilean presence and infrastructure throughout the Strait of Magellan, insisting that it is entirely "Chilean sovereignty," in response to the Argentine military who had questioned Chilean dominance in the area.