How John Paul II helped Chile and Argentina avoid going to war

Chile and Argentina were at odds over the Islands of the Beagle Channel since the late 19th century. Its a territory between the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans.

They turned to mediators such as the Hague Tribunal, the United States Attorney General and the Queen of England. However, none of them managed to bring them in line.

Then just hours before the Christmas of 1978, Argentina moved its troops and everything pointed that war was inevitable.
Hugo Gobi
Diplomatic Minister, Argentine Embassy to the Holy See
Both countries had the logic of war behind them. They were both militarised, they were both sending troops to the borders. Actually they were on the brink of war.

In the end, Argentine troops didnt occupy the Island and just four months after his election as pontiff, John Paul II accepted to mediate. It was his first mission in international politics. It was a time the papal nuncio in Argentina Cardinal Pio Laghi lived intensely. This is how he remembered the conflict a few months before his death.

Card. Pío Laghi
Ex-nuncio in Argentina
It was John Paul II, in the last hour, that he spoke to them, to those in power, Pinochet on one side and military junta on the other side, he spoke so strongly and he said, wait I come, and he sent immediately a cardinal to see whether they could find a way.

The Pope appointed Cardinal Samoré mediator and sent him to the area. He was an effective mediator, in just two weeks the foreign ministers of Chile and Argentina signed the Act of Montevideo, which formally requested mediation from the Vatican and renounced the use of force.

The talks lasted for over 5 years. And concluded on November 29th 1984, 25 years ago. On that day, the heads of state of Chile and Argentina signed a Treaty of Peace and Friendship at the Vatican.

The islands on the northern channel were awarded to Argentina and the islands on the southern half, to Chile. Moreover, both countries could sail through the area although the marine territory belongs to Argentina.

Card. Pío Laghi
Ex-nuncio in Argentina
Through the good work of the cardinal and through the great credit John Paul II had, they avoided the war and they were able in the end to make peace.

Nevertheless, the Popes mediator didnt get to witness the signing of the treaty because he died some months earlier. In his honor, Chile and Argentina named one of its largest borders with the name International Pass Cardenal Samore.

MC/JMB
CTV-LB
-WP -

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[PatagonianWarrior]

4th part: a second arbitrarion intent was done then, when the pope came in... It is important to know, that the Pope mediation was the 2nd intention to find an agreement, after Argentina had dishonorably rejected the first arbitriation against them. The pope though did not change the decision of the Queen too much,according to him, the Islands had to remain chilean too.Sea barriers have been slightly modified to content the Argentina junta, but the judgement was officially in favour of Chile.

[PatagonianWarrior]

@DanielR305 3rd part: The Queen then judged in fully accordance to the chilean position, which was imediately rejected by Argentina, who declared the arbitration unrecoverable nullified ("insanablemente nulo"), even they had promised by the honour of their country to keep their word. The tension then rose to the maximum, when Argentina sent their naval fleat to the beagle channel, thought were surprised by the Chilean Navy already waiting for them there. No actions started at that point.Continue

[PatagonianWarrior]

@DanielR305, 2nd part: Chile, back then also ruled by a military junta denied giving up these islands, which by legal means belonged to Chile, though considered a potential defeat, due to a military embargo against Chile. By military means, Chile was much weaker then (not today). Both sides agreed on aribtration by the british Queen, poth promised on their national honour to accept the Queens Judgement. Continues...

[PatagonianWarrior]

@DanielR305, 1st historical Part: the Beagle conflict was essentially a conflict about 3 islands: Picon, Lennox and Nueva. These Islands have been settled by BOTH countries to be Chilean in the border-treaty of 1894. They were even inhabited by chilean population. During 20th century, Argentina has started to negate this agreed fact though...conflict broke out, when the argentinan junta came to power and threatened with a military invasion, if Chile would not resign them to Argentina. Continues

[PatagonianWarrior]

@DanielR305, I can fully understand alvaronomad's upset here

While the documentation starts already in an attitude not to blame any of the parties involved (even the beagle conflict was a very classical "agressor vs defensor" case) you would still believe, that happens to appear neutral, though throughout the documentation it clearly struggles to keep this impression, but fails in the facts and openly distorsions it at the end in favour to argentina. (Second part follows with clarification)

[PatagonianWarrior]

@ DanielR305, I can fully understand alvaronomad's upset here.

While the documentation starts already in an attitude not to blame any of the parties involved (even the beagle conflict was a very classical "agressor vs defensor" case) you would still believe, that happens to appear neutral, though throughout the documentation it clearly struggles to keep this impression, but fails in the facts and openly distorsions it at the end in favour to argentina. (Second part follows with clarification)

[youtuquendero]

@santopadre666 nadie los quiere,  nisiquiera los yankes vallanse a hacer tratados con oman

[santopadre666]

argentina quería robarnos las islas y ahora se quejan de que chile ayudó a inglaterra en la guerra de las islas falklands

JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA

viva chile !!

god save the queen jajaja

[DanielR305]

@alvaronomad instead this person is wrong about some of the historical facts why don't you tell them which facts are wrong than just leave just half a message. The end of the day we are only human we can't know everything we need to learn off each other so why don't u help this person out whom did this video instead with the right facts.

[DanielR305]

I hope blessed John paul will become a saint sooner than later I would hope he becomes a saint for world peace and for youth of the world as hes was a inspiration to me as a child and even more so as a youth yet I wasn't born a catholic and was baptised Church of england but I was blessed by nuns by nuns near to where my nan lived in Ireland as I was a very prem baby and the nuns came over and gave gr8 support to my nan and my family. without their love and prayers I wouldn't be here I belief.