Argentina Recruits Pope in Falklands Dispute

Argentina’s president met with Pope Francis in Rome on Monday to solicit his help against Britain. President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner requested that the pope intercede to “facilitate dialogue” over Britain’s Falkland Islands, which lie off the coast of Argentina. Buenos Aires claims that it has jurisdiction over the islands, and calls them the Malvinas.

In the past, relations between the two have been cold. Before he was elected pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio accused Kirchner’s government of demagoguery. He also opposed homosexual adoption, a stance that she compared to the Dark Ages and the Inquisition. However, these differences were set aside at Monday’s meeting.

It remains to be seen how much Pope Francis will intervene in the Falklands, but his Argentine roots may be bad news for Britain.

On Friday, political economist Rodney Atkinson drew attention to the Catholic Church’s historical antagonism toward Britain, saying that the Vatican has threatened British sovereignty for almost a millennium.

Continue to watch the Falklands conflict. With help from the Roman Catholic Church and the European Union, Argentina may be able to force Britain to relinquish its sovereignty. For more information, read “Empire’s Last Hurrah.”