President Javier Milei took part on Saturday in San Lorenzo, Santa Fe, in the event marking the 213th anniversary of the Battle of San Lorenzo, where he handed over General José de San Martín's corvo saber to the Regiment of Horse Grenadiers. The ceremony, amid historical and political controversies, featured the leader's speech criticizing Peronism and Cristina Kirchner. The transfer of the saber from the National Historical Museum settles a historical debt, according to Milei.
On Saturday, February 7, in the Campo de la Gloria of San Lorenzo, Santa Fe, President Javier Milei led the commemorative ceremony for the 213th anniversary of the Battle of San Lorenzo, fought on February 3, 1813. In that clash, patriot forces led by then-Colonel José de San Martín, with about 120 horse grenadiers, defeated 250 royalists from Montevideo. San Martín, who fell from his horse wounded by a bullet, was saved by grenadiers Juan Bautista Cabral and Juan Bautista Baigorria; Cabral died in the action.
During the event, Milei handed over San Martín's corvo saber to the Regiment of Horse Grenadiers, returning it to their custody after its transfer from the National Historical Museum. The saber, a symbol of Argentine independence, was stolen twice by the Peronist Youth in 1963 and 1965, recovered in 1967, and held by the grenadiers until 2015, when former President Cristina Kirchner sent it to the museum. Milei's decision sparked controversy: the courts rejected an injunction from Juan Manuel de Rosas' relatives, and the museum director, María Inés Rodríguez, resigned.
In his speech, Milei emphasized: "The corvo saber is probably the most powerful material symbol of the Argentine Nation, a sacred relic." He criticized Peronism: "They call us colonized and traitors, but they did everything possible to impoverish us." Accompanied by Governor Maximiliano Pullaro, the event featured a battle reenactment with 30 to 40 grenadiers and drew thousands of attendees. The saber will return to the Palermo barracks, open to the public.
