Juan David Latorre
Last Wednesday morning, the Embassy of Uruguay commemorated the 260th anniversary of the birth of General José Gervasio Artigas at the monument that pays tribute to him in Madrid’s Parque del Oeste, and at noon held a reception on the occasion of his National Day.
The Uruguayan Ambassador, Ana Teresa Ayala Barrios, took the floor before the ambassadors and members of the Diplomatic Corps who gathered at the wreath laying in memory of General José Gervasio Artigas and pointed out that “19 June is for Uruguayans a day of encounter charged with patriotism and symbolism in which hundreds of young people swear allegiance to the national flag, not only in Uruguay, but also in our embassies and consulates all over the world”.
The figure of José Artigas, the national flag, the national anthem,” said Ambassador Ayala Barrios, “are emblems that unite all Uruguayans regardless of the land in which we choose to live.
At the foot of the monument to the national hero, the Uruguayan ambassador concluded by stressing that “the legacy of the Artiguista ideology forms a core part of the DNA of our national identity, and of the values of which we Uruguayans should be proud wherever we are. These values today are translated into institutional stability, security and legal guarantees, and especially a republican sentiment that transcends epochs, governments and political flags, which distinguishes us and makes us stand out in the regional and international arena. All of this is an asset that we must preserve and care for, particularly in such challenging times as the present.
Later, at midday, a reception was held at the ambassador’s residence on the occasion of the South American country’s National Day, attended by Susana Sumelzo, Secretary of State for Ibero-America and the Caribbean and Spanish in the World, together with the ambassadors of Portugal, Poland, Chile, Panama, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Finland and the Dominican Republic, as well as representatives of the delegations of Brazil, Nicaragua and Guatemala.
