The policy of military pride led by Argentine President Javier Milei has sparked heated controversy around the fate of a 19th century saber, a national heritage treasure. On February 3, the Head of State signed a decree formalizing the transfer of the curved saber (corvo) of general and hero of Argentine independence José de San Martín (1778-1850). The saber must leave the Argentine History Museum (MHN) to join the Granaderos Regiment in Caballo. According to the government, this measure “restores the sword to its proper historical context”. The regiment, founded by José de San Martín himself, would be the “natural place” guard and honor of the weapon.
In practice, the Argentine government plans to transport it by helicopter to San Lorenzo (Santa Fe) on Saturday, February 7, during a reenactment of the historic fight of 1813. Javier Milei must hand over the weapon to the Granaderos during the ceremony. This is not a first. The sword had already been placed in his custody in 1967 during the dictatorship of Juan Carlos Onganía (1966-1973), after having been stolen twice (1963 and 1965). It was then returned to the museum in 2015 by President Cristina Kirchner.
Saber of the Argentine general José de San Martín (1778-1850) preserved at the Argentine History Museum.
© MHN
To protest this decision, the director of the MHN, María Inés Rodríguez Aguilar, submitted her resignation to the Ministry of Culture. She says she refuses to “cohabit with the guilt” of seeing the museum lose the most precious piece in its collection. She describes the measure as “retroceso” (setback) for national heritage. This resignation comes after the sidelining in 2025 of his predecessor, the historian Gabriel Di Meglio, who had opposed a first transfer project and the use of the saber in a political act.
Acquired in 1811 in London, the saber accompanied José de San Martín during the liberation campaigns of Argentina, Chile and Peru. It was bequeathed by José de San Martín to Juan Manuel de Rosas (1793–1877), governor of Buenos Aires and president of the Argentine Confederation. The governor’s heirs donated it to the Argentine State in 1896. This donation was formalized by presidential decree in 1897, with the final assignment being the MHN of Buenos Aires.
The heirs of Juan Manuel de Rosas went to federal court to request a ban on the transfer. They argue that any change to the exhibition location would violate the express wishes of the 1896 donors.
Beyond the simple movement of a relic, many historians fear a legal precedent that could discourage future donations to public heritage. Some speak of a political exploitation of a national symbol. Conversely, the government claims to strengthen sovereignty and freedom “by relying on its founding symbols”.
