Falklands War anniversary: Argentine veterans hold ceremony

Every year, on April 1st, Argentine war veterans gather at sundown in the remote, southern city of Ushuaia, where, 30 years ago, the country launched a military invasion to claim the Falkland Islands, known locally as the Malvinas.

They come to replace a wind-battered flag, to sing the Argentine national anthem and, most of all, to remember the soldiers who died in the war against Britain.

Carlos Alberto Latorre heads a veterans group and said that he and his fellow former soldiers travel the country, giving presentations and educating citizens about the war.

"A year ago, we protested in this plaza that we are not former combatants. We are Malvinas combatants. That's why we have a job to do from Ushuaia from where we have already travelled 100,000 kilometres in a year, across the country, 'Malvinising' (giving presentations and educating people about what happened in the Malvinas).

"That's what gives us strength - the strength of our people. You see it in the people here and these young people will someday follow us and, aside from them are our children, our grandchildren, who are the Malvinas generations coming up," he said.

On April 2, 1982, Argentina's ruling military junta invaded the Falklands. Britain sent a naval task force and recaptured the islands but 255 British and 650 Argentine lives were lost.