On Aconcagua Radio, Beatriz Bragoni explains the historical keys that differentiate May 25 from July 9.

Historian Beatriz Bragoni , a member of the National Academy of History , offered a detailed analysis onAconcagua Radio about the importance of May 25 and July 9 , and helped to unravel the true meaning of each anniversary.

"The difference is very important and it's worth clarifying," Bragoni introduced. "May 25, 1810, marked a political event that basically involved two issues: the removal of Viceroy Cisneros, who commanded the entire Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, and the formation of a Provisional Government Junta," he explained.

Thus was born the May Revolution, but—the historian warns—with a strong centralist imprint: “It was an eminently Buenos Aires decision that later attempted to project its power over the entire viceroyalty.” To this end, Buenos Aires sent commissioners to the cities of the interior to demand obedience. “This raises a huge problem: war,” Bragoni pointed out, because several regions resisted accepting that authority.

Montevideo, for example, remained loyal to the king until 1814. Meanwhile, the revolutionary movement faced similar resistance in other parts of Latin America, such as Chile, Bogotá, Cartagena, and Quito. “It was a long and conflictive process, neither unanimous nor peaceful,” he emphasized.

July 9, 1816 , on the other hand, marks a different milestone: the formal declaration of independence . “It was a truly courageous act,” Bragoni said. “It took place in a very adverse global context, with absolute monarchies in Europe fighting independence movements in the Americas.”

The Congress of Tucumán brought together representatives of the United Provinces, not only to seal the final break with the Spanish monarchy, but also to consolidate a new political order. José de San Martín played a key role in this, pushing for the convening of the Congress.

"San Martín set a very important condition for the Buenos Aires government: to obey, yes, but to move forward with convening a congress to declare independence," the historian recounted. "He needed the war against the royalists to be waged as a sovereign nation, not as mere insurgents." That's why he was one of the main driving forces behind the meeting in Tucumán and even personally appointed representatives for Mendoza , while San Juan and San Luis used other election methods.

The choice of Tucumán as the venue was no coincidence: it was a city "closer to the Upper Peruvian provinces and farther from the coast, Artigas's area of ​​influence, which promoted a more federal and decentralized system," he explained.

In this process, Mendoza played a strategic role . San Martín arrived in the province in 1814, with no prior ties or local political experience. “He had to build political power from scratch,” Bragoni recalled. He did so by allying himself with the town council, the commanders, priests, and customs authorities. He was very forceful with his opponents: “Not a single matron was spared: he condemned an elite woman who protested the tax burden and the recruitment of slaves and free men to exile in San Luis.”

The historian praised Governor Alfredo Cornejo's recent message on social media, stating that "Mendoza played a fundamental and silent role with San Martín at its helm, while political power was being built in Tucumán." Bragoni agreed: "San Martín needed that power to organize the Army of the Andes and carry out his military plan."

The more human side of the story also emerged in the interview. The historian detailed daily life during San Martín's time, his eating habits, and the importance of wine as a cultural symbol and logistical tool. "San Martín drank wine every day, ate barbecue, sometimes alone, and with only one piece of utensil," she said. "Wine was not only a common beverage, but also a commodity used to finance the army, buy uniforms, or seal agreements with indigenous peoples, such as the Pehuenches."

Furthermore, "the army diet was very austere: salted meat—the famous jerky—some corn, biscuits, wine, and occasionally tobacco," he described. Typical dishes included "sweet pastries, quince paste, nuts, and stews," which are still present in the Creole tradition of locro and asado.

Listen to the full article here, and you can listen to the radio live at www.aconcaguaradio.com