FALKLANDS FEARS: Ex-Argentine leader, who wants to reclaim islands, plots return to power

A spokesman for Ms Fernandez confirmed her intention to win a Senate seat in October’s midterm elections after she formed a new centre-left party independent of Peronism, Argentina’s dominant political movement that she has belonged to for decades.

However, the former leader has made no secret of her disdain for British rule of the Falkland Islands, sparking concerns that disputes over the territory could be reignited.

During her time as leader, she declared herself “a Malvinist president” – using the Argentine term for the islands to assert her authority.

Speaking in 2012, she said: “It is an injustice that a colonialist enclave still exists a few hundred kilometres from our shores in the 21st century. 

“It is absurd to pretend dominion 8,000 miles overseas.”

The news comes just days after the British ambassador to Argentina warned Buenos Aires against engaging in a Falklands power struggle, insisting the islanders will always decide their own future.

In the wake of the 35th anniversary of the Falklands conflict, Mark Kent insisted Britain would not engage in sovereignty talks because islanders “have the right to define their own future”.

Speaking to Infobae, Mr Kent said “the ties between Britain and Argentina must be strengthened because the conflict has not led us anywhere”.

The ambassador did, however, speak of an optimistic future of bilateral relations between London and Buenos Aires, adding: “I am confident that there will be more UK investment in Argentina.”

Relationships between the two governments “are better than yesterday and not as good as they can be tomorrow”, according to Mr Kent.

He said: “We are in a process of strengthening ties and we want to improve relations with Argentina. We have many things in common today and we want to support Argentina in the G20 and also in the International Labour Organisation.”

When pressed on extending that relationship to offering negotiations on the sovereignty of the Falklands, Mr Kent rejected such a notion.

He said: “The most important thing about this issue concerns the Islanders, they have the right to define their own future and they will defend their position.”