A judge in Buenos Aires has ordered a travel agency to use the Argentine name for the Falklands in promotional material for cruises to the archipelago.

Argentina claims sovereignty over the islands, which it refers to as the Malvinas.

The thorny issue of sovereignty has plagued UK and Argentine relations for decades, particularly ever since the 1982 war.

The issue once again surfaced last week, this time in the context of a commercial dispute.

The company Cruiseline S.R.L sells tours to the Falklands and South Georgia on its website.

The travel agency uses the British names for the destinations instead of their Argentine equivalents.

Moreover, they also used the name “Port Stanley” instead of Puerto Argentine, which Argentina recognises.

The legal firm Roitman and Guevara sued the company, arguing that the agency had “violated consumer regulations” by incorrectly referring to the Falklands as British territory.

Judge Guillermo Patricio Cánepa agreed with the plaintiffs, rejecting the company’s defence that it was not responsible for the cruise company’s promotional material.

In his summary, the judge said, “The advertisements are illegal because they contradict constitutional mandates affirming Argentina’s legitimate and imprescriptible sovereignty.

“They also affect collective dignity of Argentine people and contradict values and rights recognised by National Constitution and mentioned laws.”

The travel agency has been ordered to make the necessary alterations to its promotional material.

The judge’s ruling comes in the wake of an attempt by local authorities on Tierra del Fuego to ban local travel agencies from using the name Falklands in their advertisements for trips to the archipelago.

Councillor Nicolás Pellolli said: “What they are doing, likely to reach other markets and sell a few more tickets, is naming the Falklands with the usurper’s designation, which is used by the English.”

If the ban is approved, local businesses could face fines of up to £764 for any infringements.

Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago at South America’s southernmost tip, shared by Chile and Argentina.

Its main island, Isla Grande, is home to the Argentine resort town of Ushuaia.

And it was from Ushuaia that the cruiser General Belgrano set sail, only to be torpedoed by the British on May 2 1982, killing more than 300 Argentinians.