200 years of Shared History: Argentina and United States
EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS - CELEBRATING THE BICENTENNIAL OF ARGENTINA'S INDEPENDENCE (REP. MICHAEL M. HONDA) (Congressional Record)
28 May 2010
111th Congress - Second Session
HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA
of California
in the House of Representatives
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my colleague Representative Eliot Engel of New York, in congratulating the great people of Argentina in celebration of the bicentennial anniversary of their independence from Spain, which occurred on the 25th of May of 1810.
Born in 1810 out of a newfound sense of national identity, the trajectory of Argentinean independence is inspired by the same enlightenment ideas of self-determination and representative government that inspired America's independence movement. Like George Washington, Jose de San Martin, the liberator of Argentina, led the fight for freedom in armed struggle against the shackles of Spanish rule. At the heart of the U.S. example was the creation a constitution free from monarchy, building an infant democracy surrounded by European power in the new world. Capitalizing on Napoleonic control, Argentina's cry set in motion the wars of independence across South America and the creation of new republics by the decade's end.
America's 200-year relationship with Argentina commenced officially when President James Monroe promulgated a foreign policy based on the preservation of our republics from imperial intervention, thus securing a shared destiny of independence. In an unprecedented gesture of aid to an unrecognized country, President Monroe sent a representative whose primary objective was to assure the Argentinean people that "U.S. has the most sincere disposition towards its neighbors from Latin America and considers friendly exchanges as mutually beneficial." In 1822, the U.S. became the first non-Latin nation to establish formal diplomatic relations with Argentina. Our countries' friendship has been strong ever since.
An entire week of May leading up to the 25th is devoted to celebrating several events that sparked Argentina's movement towards independence, with expatriates and Argentinean-Americans in cities across the United States also partaking in celebrations. Argentineans have a proud history of enriching the world's literary, art and musical, and sports arenas. Tango performers like Carlos Gardel, and writing artists like Jorge Luis Borges, have injected masterpieces into our global tapestry, while one of the most famous soccer magicians Diego Armando Maradona amazed fans during the 1986 World Cup.
It is with great joy, Madam Speaker, that I ask the rest of my colleagues to congratulate our great neighbor on this historic achievement for their people. I wish the President of Argentina and Argentineans across the world a festive week.