David Cameron’s visit to the Falklands this week has been denounced as a “provocation” by an Argentinian governor.

The former prime minister’s trip was part of a high-profile demonstration showing that the islands, referred to as Las Malvinas by Argentina, are “part of the British family”.

However, Gustavo Melella, governor of the Tierra del Fuego province which, according to Argentina, includes the country’s portion of Antarctica and the British Overseas Territories in the South Atlantic, said: “We will not stand for it. 

“The presence of David Cameron on our Malvinas Islands constitutes a new British provocation and seeks to diminish our legitimate sovereignty claims over our territories and maintain colonialism in the 21st century.” 

His visit was the first by a member of the Cabinet since Sir Michael Fallon’s trip in 2016 when he was defence secretary. The last visit by a foreign secretary was Lord Hurd in 1994.

Lord Cameron said that the UK would “help protect and defend” the islands for as long as they want to remain British.

In 2013, more than 99 per cent of Falkland Islanders voted to remain part of the UK.

Buenos Aires has long claimed sovereignty over the islands, which lie about 300 miles from South America and 8,000 miles from Britain, claiming they were inherited from Spain when Argentina achieved independence in1816.

The British claim to sovereignty dates from 1690, when they made the first recorded landing on the islands, The dispute escalated in 1982, when Argentina invaded, starting the Falklands War.

Javier Milei, the president of Argentina, who took office in November, previously said he wants to seek a “feasible solution” to the sovereignty of the Falklands through diplomatic negotiation, comparing the situation to that of Hong Kong, which the UK handed over to China in 1997.

Lord Cameron spoke to Mr Milei about the dispute when they met last month at the World Economic Forum in Davos, in the Swiss Alps.

The pair reportedly hit it off during the meeting, bonding over their mutual admiration for the Rolling Stones.

“Of course, we want to have good relations with Buenos Aires, with the Argentine government,” Lord Cameron said. 

“The new government, I think, have taken some positive steps and we’ll have good relations with them. But it will never be at the expense of the wishes of the Falkland Islanders.”

During this week’s trip Lord Cameron was taken on a helicopter tour of the islands stopping at San Carlos and Goose Green – two of the most significant sites in the 1982 war.