The president of Argentina Javier Milei has been branded a “traitor” by one of his country’s senators, after comments he made about the UK and the Falklands Islands.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Milei said that British Foreign Secretary David Cameron had “every right” to visit the disputed islands and that their sovereignty were “in the hands of the United Kingdom”.

During the interview, Mr Milei said: “If that territory is now in the hands of the UK, he [David Cameron] has a right to do that. I don’t see that as a provocation.”

Mr Milei noted that he still wanted the islands to become Argentine but “within the framework of peace”.

He said: “We are not going to relinquish our sovereignty, nor are we going to seek conflict with the United Kingdom”.

However, since those comments, senator for Tierra del Fuego, which is at the southern tip of Argentina, Cristina López, called the president a “traitor to the Homeland”.

In a post on X the senator said: “For the admirer of Margaret Thatcher, British Chancellor David Cameron “has EVERY RIGHT” to visit our FALKLAND Islands because “that territory is today in the hands of the United Kingdom.” Today I presented a project to repudiate this new provocation.”

At the end of the post she said “Las Malvinas son Argentina”, meaning the Falkands are Argentina’s.

Lord Cameron visited the Falklands in Feburary, he said: “The Falkland Islands are a valued part of the British family, and we are clear that as long as they want to remain part of the family, the issue of sovereignty will not be up for discussion.

“The Falkland Islanders should be proud of the modern, prosperous community they have built. The Islands are a thriving economy, where as well as farming and fishing, there is a priority given to conservation and sustainability.”