President Macri leads celebrations for Argentina's bicentennial of independence

President Mauricio Macri led official bicentennial celebrations for Argentina's independence here on Saturday, along with foreign and domestic dignitaries.

On July 9, 1816, Argentina formerly declared independence from Spain in the city of Tucuman, although the country was named the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata.

"We are independent and free," hailed Macri, before praising those who had forged Argentina's liberty. "The citizens who declared independence were not supermen. They were certainly afraid and anxious. But their courage and conviction was stronger. Today, I want to call on all Argentinians to do the same: that they be protagonists, that we have faith in our capacity to grow."

More than 7,000 people gathered on Saturday morning in Tucuman's Independence Square, in front of the provincial government headquarters, and chanted "Tu-cu-man", as sky blue and white flags were raised to the skies.

Meanwhile in Buenos Aires, celebrations began on Friday night, with thousands of residents taking to the streets.

They lined the central Avenida de Mayo through the night and into Saturday morning, listening to a number of concerts and musical shows.

On Friday night, mayor Horacio Rodriguez Larreta held a gala in Vatican Square, named "The Night of the 200 Years", where artists traced the greatest moments of the country from 1816 to 2016.

Famous singers, including Luciano Pereyra, Cesar Isella, Raul Lavie, Sandra Mihanovich, David Lebon and Tomas Lipan, all took part under the direction of Oscar-winning Argentinean director, Eugenio Zanetti. Enditem