Beneath the flagpole is an equestrian statue of General Manuel Belgrano. This national hero was a delegate at the Primera Junta in May of 1810. He was also a major military leader during the Argentine War of Independence. Several of his decisive victories over the Spanish Loyalists – including the improbable win during the Battle of Tucumán in 1812 – paved the way toward the Declaration of Independence in 1816. This bronze monument honoring one of the great Libertadores was erected in 1873.