En unión y libertad — Argentina's national motto

Spanish phrase meaning “In unity and freedom,” adopted during Argentina’s independence era (1813). It appears on the national coat of arms, currency and official symbols and expresses republican ideals.

En unión y libertad is the national motto of Argentina. Rendered from Spanish as “In unity and freedom,” the phrase became a concise expression of the political ideals that shaped the newly independent provinces in the early 19th century. It functions as a verbal emblem that complements visual symbols of the state and is widely reproduced on official insignia and currency.

Origins and historical context

The motto was adopted during the independence era by the 1813 General Assembly (Asamblea del Año XIII), a constituent political gathering convened amid the struggle to separate the territories of the Río de la Plata from the Spanish Empire. The phrase was chosen to offer a compact statement about how the emerging polity sought to organize itself: stressing solidarity among provinces and the political liberty that revolutionaries demanded. Its adoption reflects the influence of Enlightenment ideas and the practical need to create a unifying slogan in a fragmented political landscape.

Meaning and symbolism

“En unión y libertad” pairs two complementary principles. "Unión" (unity) refers to the alliance of provinces and citizens necessary for a stable republic; "libertad" (freedom) emphasizes emancipation from colonial rule and the establishment of civil and political rights. The motto is typically integrated with the Argentine coat of arms: two hands clasped in a handshake beneath a Phrygian cap on a pike, framed by a laurel wreath. Together the words and images present a compact message of collective solidarity and emancipation.

Uses and public presence

The motto appears in multiple official and cultural contexts. It is featured on the national coat of arms and is included in the designs of Argentine currency. For example, you will find the legend on many peso coins and banknotes produced by the nation’s mint and central bank. Beyond money, the phrase also appears on state documents, seals, monuments and in ceremonial settings, where it functions as a reminder of the founding values of the Republic and the historical process that produced them.

Notable distinctions and legacy

While some countries have Latin or multiword mottos, Argentina’s choice of a concise Spanish formula made the message accessible to the population at large. The motto links the political rhetoric of the independence movement to visible state imagery and has endured through constitutional changes and political transformations. It remains an oft-cited phrase in school curricula, civic rituals and public discourse about national identity.