May Revolution Day – May 25, 2027

History of May Revolution Day

During the 16th century, Spanish immigrants began populating Argentina, forming settlements and intermarrying with non-Spaniards. However, it was in 1580 that Spain established a permanent colony on the site of Buenos Aires. Then, in 1776, King Charles III of Spain established the Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata, with Buenos Aires as the capital. Thus, Spain appointed a Spanish viceroy over the country, a move that upset local Argentines.

Several events within and outside the country acted as catalysts for the Revolution, one of such events being the British invasion of Buenos Aires in 1806. When Spanish viceroy Rafael de Sobremonte fled the city to avoid capture, the people appointed a new viceroy, the French Santiago de Liniers, who liberated the city from the British in 1806 and again in 1807. In 1809, Spain managed to appoint a new viceroy to replace Liniers through the Junta of Seville.

However, when Argentines discovered the Junta of Seville had dissolved itself after Seville had been captured by France, the Revolution was sparked. Between May 18 and May 25, a week now known as May Week, Argentina’s First National Government and the Primera Junta were formed on May 25, 1810. The Spanish viceroy, Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros, was forced to resign. Overall, the revolution was largely peaceful, though it led to the Argentine War of Independence.

On May Revolution Day, church services are held, and government representatives address the people during national festivities. Stage plays are conducted at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, too. Many transportation services are made available at no cost to enable people to participate in the celebrations.