The UK and Argentina have been locked in a bitter dispute over who has the right to the Falkland Islands for hundreds of years, with the long-standing row reaching its peak when a war broke out in 1982.
But historian Roberto Colimodio claims new evidence supports Argentina’s claim over the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory
Speaking to Argentinian radio station 99.9 Radio, Mr Colimodio said: “One of the arguments of the English is that the Spanish crown and then the United Provinces of Rio de la Plata did not use nor established their population rights in those islands, but this shows that they did, that there was a stable population.
“It all started almost a year ago when a private collector acquired three documents on the black market related to the Falklands that were unknown.
“They had been stolen. They are documents that were exchanged between the governor of the islands and that of Buenos Aires, they talked about the construction of a chapel in what was Puerto Soledad or Puerto Luis.
“Those documents were delivered to senator Julio Cobos and then passed to the Foreign Ministry.
“When I read the news, I was curious and I looked in the online archive of the Indies.
“I found the floor plan of that chapel and another letter that said it had been finished and was already open.
“The importance of these documents is that they speak of an established population and of a right of possession as well.”
The historian’s claim is the latest in a centuries-long row between the UK and Argentina.
It comes after foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt last week dismissed Argentina’s threat to take back the islands if the UK fails to reach a Brexit deal with the EU.
Torbay MP Kevin Foster asked Mr Hunt about the threat during Foreign Office questions.
Mr Foster said: “Given the extraordinary declaration by the Argentinian foreign minister that Argentina will seek to enhance its claims to the Falklands if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, will (Mr Hunt) confirm, deal or no deal, there will be no question whatsoever of undermining the status of the Falkland Islands as British territory?”
The foreign secretary replied: “I’m happy to confirm exactly that.”
Additional reporting by Maria Ortega.