Milei attacks UN as useless caste at General Assembly and revives Falklands dispute

Criticism of multilateral institutions

Argentine President Javier Milei delivered an address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on 23 September 2026, directing sharp condemnation at the multilateral body. Milei argued that the United Nations had failed in its foundational mandate to guarantee collective security and protect human rights, asserting that international bodies have instead permitted global disorder, violence, and terrorism. He criticized the institution for maintaining an asymmetric structure where compliant nations receive no reward for adhering to international rules, while states that breach regulations face no consequences. Milei also condemned the assembly for voting systematically against Israel and accused international officials of acting without democratic accountability.

It has become a useless organization that serves only to feed a caste of fatally arrogant parasites disguised as well-intentioned bureaucrats.

Sovereignty claims and South Atlantic resources

Milei centered much of his foreign policy remarks on Argentina's claim to the Falkland Islands, known in Spanish as Las Malvinas, alongside South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, and surrounding maritime zones. He accused the United Nations of ignoring British-authorized offshore oil exploration near the archipelago, which lies 400 kilometres off the Argentine mainland. Milei affirmed that the islands remain a national cause for Buenos Aires and declared that Argentina will pursue a peaceful defense rather than rely on inactive international bodies. He urged the British government to resume bilateral negotiations to resolve the dispute, while warning that his administration will penalize foreign corporations extracting natural resources under British administration.

The territorial dispute dates to 1833, when the United Kingdom established its administration over the archipelago. In 1982, an Argentine military junta occupied the territory, prompting a short conflict in which British forces retook the islands. The war resulted in the deaths of 649 Argentine personnel, 255 British service members, and three island residents.

Opposition to global regulation of artificial intelligence

The Argentine president devoted a significant segment of his speech to artificial intelligence, endorsing perspectives shared by US President Donald Trump. Milei characterized advanced AI as a super-intelligence capable of multiplying productivity across dimensions that economies do not yet fully comprehend. He rejected regulatory warnings and dystopian projections, arguing that such narratives are constructed to promote state control and justify administrative overreach. Milei emphasized that government intervention merely transfers authority to bureaucrats who restrict what private creators can build. His remarks stood in direct opposition to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who had advocated for centralized global coordination and structured international governance to monitor technological risks.

Rejection of pandemic lockdowns and global health directives

Addressing public health policies, Milei condemned the international measures enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic and defended Argentina's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization. He characterized mandatory lockdowns and quarantine orders as unjustified expansions of bureaucratic power over individual freedoms.

Where some cite a public health error, we see a global experiment of social control disguised as science.

Milei concluded his address by asserting that Argentina will no longer wait for the United Nations to enforce its resolutions, stating that his government will implement independent measures to protect national sovereignty and economic interests.