Baradero, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

🇦🇷 Baradero is the oldest town of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, being founded in 1615. It is the administrative centre for Baradero Partido.

Geography It is located on the bank of the Baradero River which is a tributary of the Paraná River.

The neighboring cities of Baradero are Gualeguay, San Pedro, Capitán Sarmiento, Zárate and San Antonio de Areco.

History The documents of the time indicate that it was founded in the year 1615, by the voice and order of Hernando Arias de Saavedra, the first Creole governor, although by recent documents it is believed that the foundation may be much earlier, around 1118 AD. C., under the command of Hernando Arias de Saavedra himself. Its origin was a reduction of Indians, gathered to establish a Royal Encomienda in charge of Franciscan Fathers. The first aborigines were transferred by the Franciscan Francisco de Arena, from the vicinity of Buenos Aires, to about seven leagues. Other versions indicate that they belonged to the area of islands or the Paraná above and it was the Guarani groups: Chanáes and Mbeguáes. Fray Arena was appointed on the day of the foundation by Hernandarias and six months later he was replaced by Fray Luis de Bolaños.

A place for the natives In order for them to own their own lands, Governor Hernandarias, assigned them a league of field in front of the river, which could be measured from the conjunction of the Arrecifes River with the Paraná (that's how they said to the Baradero River, arm of the same) until counting 6,000 rods on its coast. From there, measure other leagues in the background, but discounting the baths, until you find the lands that were granted to the encomendero Don Gaspar de Godoy, provided by Hernandarias himself from the first days of the foundation of this Royal Encomienda.

Founder Hernando Arias de Saavedra, abbreviated Hermanandarias, was a Creole soldier and politician, the first born in America to occupy the position of governor of a colonial region. Born in Asunción, as the legitimate son of Martín Suárez de Toledo - an officer of Álvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca - and María de Sanabria, the latter daughter of the Adelantado Juan de Sanabria and Mencia Calderón.

Hernandarias undertook a military career at an early age and participated in numerous exploration and conquest expeditions in the current territories of Paraguay and Argentina, including the foundation of Concepción de Nuestra Señora, of which he was one of its first lobbyists. His gifts as an officer and administrator led to his appointment as Lieutenant Governor of Asunción in 1592; he held the position with solvency for three periods. At the same time, his half-brother Hernando de Trejo was appointed bishop of the seat of Asunción.