Today, 17 August, marks the 175th anniversary of the death of General Don José de San Martín, Father of the Nation and central figure in South American independence. His death in 1850 in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, marked the beginning of an immortality forged in the liberating deeds that changed the destiny of Latin America forever.

San Martín was the architect of a strategic vision that transcended borders: to liberate Argentina, Chile, and Peru from colonial rule. Hero of the Crossing of the Andes (1817), victor in the battles of Chacabuco and Maipú, and leader of Peru's emancipation, his legacy combines military skill, conviction, and a deep commitment to the values of freedom, justice, and unity.

Born in Yapeyú in 1778, he began his military career in Spain, where he distinguished himself in the Battle of Bailén against Napoleon's troops. In 1812, he returned to Buenos Aires to join the cause of independence, founding the Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers and achieving his first American victory at San Lorenzo. From then on, he led a continental campaign that made him a symbol of independence.

Retiring from political life after his famous meeting with Simón Bolívar in Guayaquil, San Martín chose exile rather than participate in internal disputes, keeping his integrity intact. His remains rest in the Mausoleum of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires, guarded by the Grenadiers.

17 August is a national holiday in his honour, not only to remember his death, but also to celebrate the significance of his example. He promoted the idea that freedom was not only an inalienable right, but also a collective duty. He fostered values such as discipline, sacrifice, humility and selflessness. His thinking, captured in phrases such as ‘When the homeland is in danger, everything is permitted except not defending it,’ ‘In the last corner of the Earth where I find myself, I will be ready to fight for freedom,’ and ‘Let us be free, and nothing else matters,’ continues to inspire generations who recognise him as the Great Captain of American Freedom.

Today, his life and work continue to guide the nation. San Martín not only liberated territories: he sowed principles that, 175 years after his passing, continue to mark the path of Argentina and all of Latin America.