Plaza Libertad – Liberty Square

On your left, you’ll find the charming Liberty Square, which is more of a garden than a square. It’s a lovely spot to rest if you’re in need of a break. There, you’ll see the statue of Adolfo Alsina, an Argentine politician and founder of a liberal party back in 1812. He fought for a strong central government in the newly formed United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, which would later become the United Provinces of South America under the Declaration of Independence, and eventually, the Argentine Republic. But let’s put this in context. Up until 1810, Buenos Aires was the capital of the colony of the Spanish Empire that included present-day Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay. Meanwhile, back in Spain, things were going downhill. The Spanish War of Independence pitted Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom against the First French Empire. So when word reached Buenos Aires that the King of Spain had lost his throne to Napoleon I, people here saw a chance to break free from Spain’s weakening grip. Then came the May Revolution, which set off the Argentine War of Independence. With similar events unfolding in many Spanish colonies in South America, the May Revolution is thought to be the starting point for all wars of independence in South America. So now you can see why Adolfo Alsina felt it was so important to have a centralized power in Buenos Aires.
So much for the historical parenthesis.