Argentina’s foreign ministry has requested the UK to start an investigation following the vandalism of the Virgin of Lujan statue located at the Falkland Islands war cemetery, where 123 Argentinean soldiers are buried.
Police reported that the statue and its base had been damaged.
The ministry said in a statement that the vandalism was especially regrettable since both governments recently decided to identify the remains of 123 Argentine soldiers interred in the cemetery in Darwin, East Falkland.
Efforts to identify the unknown servicemen are expected to take place between June and August this year, according to a report on Telam, Argentina’s news agency.
The important advance in such a profound humanitarian issue is overshadowed by the violence and prejudice shown by those who assaulted the final resting place of the Argentine soldiers killed in 1982, the ministry said.
Similarly, the Falklands Island Government said the incident was obviously of concern to the families and Falkland Island residents, who expressed regret for the act of vandalism.
Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan said he was disgusted by the incident.
During the two-month conflict in 1982, 255 British service personnel died, while 649 Argentine soldiers were killed, BBC News reported.
The UK task force recaptured the British overseas area in the South Atlantic after an Argentine invasion.