On August 23, 1812, the people of Jujuy undertook one of the most significant mobilizations in the struggle for independence. Faced with the advance of royalist forces from Upper Peru, General Manuel Belgrano ordered the evacuation of the population and the troops to Tucumán—a decision that demanded an enormous collective effort and put their commitment to the patriotic cause to the test.

The order meant abandoning homes, fields, and possessions to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Entire families joined the march, moving south alongside the forces of the Army of the North. The decision to leave their belongings behind represented a profound sacrifice, made in defense of freedom and the cause of emancipation.

The Jujuy Exodus allowed the patriotic forces to buy time, reorganize, and prepare their resistance against the royalist advance. This effort played a decisive role in the northern campaign and was followed, just a few weeks later, by the patriotic victory at the Battle of Tucumán on September 24, 1812.

214 years after that heroic feat, the Jujuy Exodus remains a symbol of a people’s commitment to defending their homeland. The decision by thousands of Jujuy residents to join the march and face great sacrifices alongside the patriotic forces is part of the national memory and the path that led to Argentine independence.