José Gervasio Artigas is revered as Uruguay's greatest national hero. Called the Primer Jefe de los Orientales and Primer estadista de la Revolución del Río de la Plata, (First Leader of the Orientales and first statesman of the Rio de la Plata Revolution,) Artigas was born in Montevideo on June 19, 1764.

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Guest author Ariana Svenson of Apus Peru Adventure Travel Specialists recounts for us her experiencces In the house of the Negrillos, another name for the better known Festival of the Virgin of Carmen, held annually in the high Andean village of Paucartambo, near Cuzco, Peru.

Photo of a particpant in the annual religious and pagan festival is displayed with the kind permission of Ariana Svenson - Apus Peru Adventure Travel Specialists www.apus-peru.com.