Buenos Aires City Buses to Display 'Malvinas are Argentine' Slogan Following New Bill

City Legislature Approves Mandate

The Autonomous City of Buenos Aires Legislature approved a new bill on Friday, November 28, 2025, requiring all public buses operating within its jurisdiction to display the slogan 'The Malvinas (Falklands) are Argentine'. This legislative action ensures the reintroduction of the phrase, which was reportedly removed from many bus units during a modernization plan initiated by the city government in 2024. The omission had previously led to public complaints and demands.

Adherence to National Law and Rationale

The new city bill enforces local adherence to National Law 27,023, which mandates the prominent display of the phrase in public passenger transport across Argentina. The project was drafted by legislator Andrés La Blunda of the Unión por la Patria (UxP) bloc. La Blunda emphasized the slogan's importance as 'a daily reminder of our sovereign claim,' stressing that the policy should be uniformly upheld nationwide and that the city should act as a 'mirror of the Nation' in this regard.

The new law specifies that all city bus units must incorporate the legend in a visible location. The exact formatting and typography will be determined by the enforcing authority to ensure uniformity. While the original proposal sought to include subways, the final approved bill applies exclusively to buses.

The Enduring Malvinas Sovereignty Dispute

The Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as the Islas Malvinas, have been the subject of a long-standing sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The British claim to sovereignty dates back to 1690, with de facto control exercised almost continuously since 1833. Argentina, however, asserts its claim based on inheritance from Spanish colonial rule.

Key aspects of the dispute include:

• Historical Claims: Argentina maintains that it inherited the islands from Spain upon independence in 1816, while the UK bases its claim on continuous occupation.
• Falklands War (1982): The dispute escalated into a brief but intense conflict when Argentina invaded the islands on April 2, 1982. The war lasted 74 days and resulted in a British victory, with the islands returning to British control.
• Current Status: The Falkland Islands remain a British Overseas Territory. Falkland Islanders have overwhelmingly expressed their preference to remain British in referendums.

Argentina continues to pursue its claim through diplomatic channels and symbolic gestures, such as the mandated slogan on public transport.