National Sovereignty Day Description
Commemorates the Battle of Vuelta de Obligado in 1845, when Argentine forces under General Lucio N. Mansilla resisted an Anglo-French naval blockade on the Paraná River. Though a tactical defeat, the battle is celebrated as a symbol of Argentine resistance to foreign intervention. Ceremonies are held at the battlefield site near San Pedro, Buenos Aires Province. Government offices and banks close. The holiday, reinstated as a national observance in 2010, emphasizes Argentina's long tradition of defending its territorial and economic sovereignty.
