Argentine President Alberto Fernandez led celebrations marking the 205th anniversary of the declaration of independence with a call for unity in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. “If we have courage and bravery, and we unite to understand once and for all that no one is saved alone, and that in addition to being free and equal we must be fraternal and in solidarity with one another, everything will be easier,” Mr Fernandez said in July.

Speaking from the Historic House of Independence Museum in San Miguel de Tucuman, capital of northern Tucuman province, Mr Fernandez urged Argentines to maintain self-care and comply with social distancing measures. “We are going through a unique time for humanity, a clearly frustrating time that prevents us from doing many things,” the president said, according to a statement from his office. He also pledged to accelerate the vaccination campaign against Covid-19. More than 24.04 million shots of Covid-19 vaccines have been applied against the disease since December 2020, when the inoculation campaign began.