Why is May 25th an Important Date in Argentina?

May 25th is an important date in Argentina because it marks the annual celebration of the May Revolution. May 25th is known as el Día de la Revolución de Mayo, or the Day of the May Revolution. More specifically, this day marks the creation of the First Junta, a local authority that took over governance of Buenos Aires from the Spanish Viceroyalty on this date in 1810.

In the year 1810, the country of Argentina, along with neighboring Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay, were controlled by Spain through the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. This system of Viceroyalty was headed by Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros, who also served as the viceroy in the city of Buenos Aires at the time. Following news of Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of Spain and overthrow of the Spanish king, unrest grew among the Buenos Aires population.

On Friday, 18 May 1810, Viceroy Cisneros attempted to calm the stirring population by making a public announcement. He asked for allegiance to the overthrown Spanish king, Ferdinand VII Bourbon. Despite Cisneros’ attempts to conceal the true situation, the population of Buenos Aires, in particular the Creole population known as criollos, were savvy to the opportunity to change the power structure in the city.

A secret meeting was arranged to discuss the situation and the opportunity for changing the political power structure in Buenos Aires. It was decided that the people would request a public town meeting with Cisneros. This open town meeting would later come to be called the Cabildo Abierto. Two representatives were chosen to petition for the Cabildo Abierto, and on Saturday, 19 May 1810, the Viceroy met with Juan José Castelli and Martín Rodríguez to receive the petition.

Fearing that the outcome of the Cabildo Abierto would not be in his favor, Viceroy Cisneros avoided a decision. Over the following two days, Cisneros attempted to confirm whether he still had support, and just where that support lay. On Monday, 21 May 1810, restless and impatient with the delay, the people demonstrated their discontent in la Plaza de la Victoria. This plaza would later become la Plaza de Mayo, the location of Argentina’s Government building, the famed Casa Rosada. The will of the people was clear, and Cisneros authorized the Cabildo Abierto, which would be held the next day.

On the 22nd, the Cabildo Abeirto commenced, and speeches were made by prominent debaters on both sides of the argument. The Buenos Aires archbishop, Benito de Lué warned against sudden change. Representing the populace of Argentina and the other countries under control of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, Juan José Castelli affirmed need for self-governance in light of the ongoing upheaval in Spain. The affirmation was that the Viceroyalty was invalid since King Ferdinand, who had appointed the Viceroyalty, was not currently in power.

The Cabildo Abierto voted the following day and the decision was made to remove Cisneros as viceroy and replace his sole power with a Junta consisting of Cisneros and other important public representatives. Public opinion held that through governance by a Junta headed by Cisneros, the power dynamic would not be any different than when Cisneros had been Viceroy, and members of the Junta were persuaded to reject their positions.

Finally, on May 25th the will of the people was enforced. Although the Cabildo Abierto had planned to enforce the Junta and reject any resignations from appointed members, it was made clear that Cisneros no longer had any support, and the Junta he headed was therefore pointless. Cisneros was asked to resign entirely, and a new Junta known as the First Junta was formed. It was called the First Junta because it was formed entirely of members of the Buenos Aires populace, and free of direct influence from the Spanish Crown. Thus, through the creation of the First Junta, Buenos Aires became the first achieve self-governance, making it an example for other countries controlled by the Spanish Viceroyalty.

Events in the week leading up to the May 25th are celebrated collectively as la Semana de Mayo, or May Week. This is due to the fact that the so-called May Revolution took place within a week. Although the majority of significant events began on May 18th, the culmination of the May Revolution on May 25th is the day on which the commemorative festivities are held each year.

Argentines are likely to celebrate the national holiday by abstaining from work, spending time with family, and perhaps eating locro, a traditional food consumed on many Argentine national holidays.

Finally, on May 25th the will of the people was enforced. Although the Cabildo Abierto had planned to enforce the Junta and reject any resignations from appointed members, it was made clear that Cisneros no longer had any support, and the Junta he headed was therefore pointless. Cisneros was asked to resign entirely, and a new Junta known as the First Junta was formed. It was called the First Junta because it was formed entirely of members of the Buenos Aires populace, and free of direct influence from the Spanish Crown. Thus, through the creation of the First Junta, Buenos Aires became the first achieve self-governance, making it an example for other countries controlled by the Spanish Viceroyalty.

Events in the week leading up to the May 25th are celebrated collectively as la Semana de Mayo, or May Week. This is due to the fact that the so-called May Revolution took place within a week. Although the majority of significant events began on May 18th, the culmination of the May Revolution on May 25th is the day on which the commemorative festivities are held each year.

Argentines are likely to celebrate the national holiday by abstaining from work, spending time with family, and perhaps eating locro, a traditional food consumed on many Argentine national holidays.

May Day - the Real Labor Day

May 1st, International Workers' Day, commemorates the historic struggle of working people throughout the world, and is recognized in every country except the United States, Canada, and South Africa. This despite the fact that the holiday began in the 1880s in the United States, with the fight for an eight-hour work day.
In 1884, the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions passed a resolution stating that eight hours would constitute a legal day's work from and after May 1, 1886. The resolution called for a general strike to achieve the goal, since legislative methods had already failed. With workers being forced to work ten, twelve, and fourteen hours a day, rank-and-file support for the eight-hour movement grew rapidly, despite the indifference and hostility of many union leaders. By April 1886, 250,000 workers were involved in the May Day movement.
The heart of the movement was in Chicago, organized primarily by the anarchist International Working People's Association. Businesses and the state were terrified by the increasingly revolutionary character of the movement and prepared accordingly. The police and militia were increased in size and received new and powerful weapons financed by local business leaders. Chicago's Commercial Club purchased a $2000 machine gun for the Illinois National Guard to be used against strikers. Nevertheless, by May 1st, the movement had already won gains for many Chicago clothing cutters, shoemakers, and packing-house workers. But on May 3, 1886, police fired into a crowd of strikers at the McCormick Reaper Works Factory, killing four and wounding many. Anarchists called for a mass meeting the next day in Haymarket Square to protest the brutality.
The meeting proceeded without incident, and by the time the last speaker was on the platform, the rainy gathering was already breaking up, with only a few hundred people remaining. It was then that 180 cops marched into the square and ordered the meeting to disperse. As the speakers climbed down from the platform, a bomb was thrown at the police, killing one and injuring seventy. Police responded by firing into the crowd, killing one worker and injuring many others.
Although it was never determined who threw the bomb, the incident was used as an excuse to attack the entire Left and labor movement. Police ransacked the homes and offices of suspected radicals, and hundreds were arrested without charge. Anarchists in particular were harassed, and eight of Chicago's most active were charged with conspiracy to murder in connection with the Haymarket bombing. A kangaroo court found all eight guilty, despite a lack of evidence connecting any of them to the bomb-thrower (only one was even present at the meeting, and he was on the speakers' platform), and they were sentenced to die. Albert Parsons, August Spies, Adolf Fischer, and George Engel were hanged on November 11, 1887. Louis Lingg committed suicide in prison, The remaining three were finally pardoned in 1893.
It is not surprising that the state, business leaders, mainstream union officials, and the media would want to hide the true history of May Day, portraying it as a holiday celebrated only in Moscow's Red Square. In its attempt to erase the history and significance of May Day, the United States government declared May 1st to be "Law Day", and gave us instead Labor Day - a holiday devoid of any historical significance other than its importance as a day to swill beer and sit in traffic jams.

Nevertheless, rather than suppressing labor and radical movements, the events of 1886 and the execution of the Chicago anarchists actually mobilized many generations of radicals. Emma Goldman, a young immigrant at the time, later pointed to the Haymarket affair as her political birth. Lucy Parsons, widow of Albert Parsons, called upon the poor to direct their anger toward those responsible - the rich. Instead of disappearing, the anarchist movement only grew in the wake of Haymarket, spawning other radical movements and organizations, including the Industrial Workers of the World.
By covering up the history of May Day, the state, business, mainstream unions and the media have covered up an entire legacy of dissent in this country. They are terrified of what a similarly militant and organized movement could accomplish today, and they suppress the seeds of such organization whenever and wherever they can. As workers, we must recognize and commemorate May Day not only for it's historical significance, but also as a time to organize around issues of vital importance to working-class people today.
As IWW songwriter Joe Hill wrote in one of his most powerful songs:

Workers of the world, awaken!
Rise in all your splendid might
Take the wealth that you are making,
It belongs to you by right.
No one will for bread be crying
We'll have freedom, love and health,
When the grand red flag is flying
In the Workers' Commonwealth.