Chilean President Embarks on Historic Visit to the South Pole

Chile’s President Gabriel Boric has become the first leader in America's history to visit the South Pole, after arriving at a US base there.

His visit to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, as the president asserted is an affirmation of the Chilean claim to enforce a part of Antarctica under sovereignty by Chile.

"This is a milestone for us," Boric said in footage shown on Chilean television, before adding "it's the first time a Chilean president has come to the South Pole and talked about Chile's Antarctic mission".

Boric went to his office with a group of scientists and ministers of his cabinet including the ministers of defense and of environment. Boric also pointed out that the visit by him was an important occasion in having Chile as the main actor in the scientific initiatives of the region, especially in terms of those regarding climate change.

According to the various governments, research centers, universities, diplomats and the military have reassembled around this idea for positioning Chile as the international gateway to Antarctica.

Gabriel Boric would become Chile's youngest president at 35, winning the election in 2021. Prior to Boric, only two other world leaders had visited the South Pole were the prime ministers of New Zealand and Norway. Numerous countries including Chile, UK, France, Norway, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina claim portions of Antarctica, although others also have a presence on the continent.

Antarctica is not a sovereign nation, it has no government and no indigenous people. Its status instead is that the whole continent is a scientific reserve. The Antarctic Treaty, enacted in 1961 and upholds the principle of intellectual collaboration.

The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is named after Roald Amundsen, who led the first expedition to the South Pole from Norway and Robert Scott, the British explorer who was beaten by Amundsen to the pole in 1911. Scott and four of his companions died on their way back after being caught by a blizzard.