# Uruguay's Foreign Minister Separates 'Invaded Island' from Falklands Money

> Uruguay's foreign minister calls Falklands dispute a shift from colonialism to money extraction.
- Title: Uruguay's Foreign Minister Separates 'Invaded Island' from…
- Summary: Uruguay's foreign minister calls Falklands dispute a shift from colonialism to money extraction. Uruguay's foreign minister Mario Lubetkin argues the…
- Keywords: falklands sovereignty, mario lubetkin, pablo quirno, uruguay, argentina, sea lion project, falklands dispute, oil exploration, royal navy, news, world, Uruguay's
- Source: MercoPress — https://en.mercopress.com/2026/10/01/uruguay-s-foreign-minister-separates-the-invaded-island-from-the-money-extracted-from-the-falklands
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: falklands sovereignty, mario lubetkin, pablo quirno, uruguay, argentina, uk, sea lion project, falklands dispute, oil exploration, royal navy, news, world
## Falklands dispute shifts
Uruguay's foreign minister Mario Lubetkin says the Falklands dispute changed with oil exploration: one part is the invaded island, another is money taken from there.

> When the process of oil prospecting by the United Kingdom began in the islands, the whole logic of the Malvinas issue changed
## Uruguay considers buying British ships
Uruguay's navy hopes to buy two Royal Navy patrol vessels from the River-class, a deal that sparked a resolution from 20 Argentine deputies.
## Argentina files arbitration against UK
Argentina announced arbitration against the UK over the Sea Lion oil project, prompting UK to question Argentina's reliability as a partner.
## Uruguay's minister denies ship deal talks
Uruguay's foreign minister denied discussing with Argentina's Pablo Quirno about buying British ships, focusing instead on the Falklands dispute.
## Opposition criticizes ship deal
Opposition senator Javier Garcia called the ship deal more political than technical, warning it sends a signal to Buenos Aires.
## Argentina's resolution on ship deal
19 La Libertad Avanza lawmakers filed a non-binding resolution expressing concern over Uruguay's possible purchase of British ships.
## UK maintains Falklands status
The UK says the Falklands are a British overseas territory with 99.8% of voters choosing to retain that status in a 2013 referendum.
## Key takeaway

Uruguay's foreign minister Mario Lubetkin argues the Falklands dispute now involves oil money extraction, not just colonialism.