President Boric and Chile’s defense minister visited a US Antarctic base during a landmark trip to the South Pole.
President Gabriel Boric of Chile became the first Latin American leader to reach the South Pole, using the occasion to reiterate Chile’s territorial claim to a portion of Antarctica.
Accompanied by Defense Minister Maya Fernandez, Environment Minister Maisa Rojas, and high-ranking military officials, President Boric’s journey began on January 2, 2025, with a flight from Punta Arenas, southern Chile, aboard a Hercules C-130 military aircraft. The delegation first visited Chile’s research station at Union Glacier before continuing to the South Pole.
The delegation subsequently spent about two hours at the US Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, interacting with researchers and observing scientific projects. The presidential office characterized the visit as timely for Chile’s scientific activities in the region.
“This is a significant achievement for us,” Boric stated in footage aired on Chilean television. “A Chilean president has visited the South Pole and discussed Chile’s Antarctic mission for the first time.”
Boric also emphasized that the visit served “to reaffirm our sovereignty claim” over a part of the continent.
Throughout the 20th century, various nations, including Russia, the United States, Britain, France, Argentina, and Japan, established Antarctic research stations to conduct scientific research and maintain a regional presence. Since 1961, the Antarctic Treaty has overseen activities in the region and its surrounding waters, designating it a scientific preserve and prohibiting military operations to avoid international conflicts.
Chile has maintained a sustained presence in Antarctica for several decades, operating numerous research stations and actively participating in the Antarctic Treaty System. While historically focused on northern Antarctica, the presidency announced plans to expand Chilean research to the Bellingshausen and Weddell Seas.
While seven nations, including Chile, assert territorial claims in Antarctica, the US State Department clarifies that “the United States and most other nations do not recognize these claims.”