Quequén facts for kids

Train station.

Quequén is a lively port and a fun resort town in Argentina. It's located in the Buenos Aires province right on the Atlantic Ocean coast, next to the Quequén Grande River. It's also right next to the city of Necochea. In 2001, about 14,524 people lived there. Quequén is super important for Argentina because it's one of the main places where grain is shipped out to other countries.

The name Quequén comes from the Puelche language, which was spoken by the native people of the area. "Kem ken" means "high gullies" or "deep ravines," which describes the land around the river.

Quequén's Early Days

The first Europeans to explore the Quequén area were soldiers with Juan de Garay in 1582. Garay was important because he helped found Buenos Aires for the second time. He wrote that the land was very rich and perfect for raising cattle.

Later, in 1748, a Jesuit explorer named Cardiel visited the area. He was amazed by how deep the Quequén Grande River was, writing in his journal about its "very deep river with high banks." Another Jesuit missionary, Thomas Falkner, also visited in 1748. He realized that building a port at the mouth of the Quequén Grande River would be a great idea. It would help connect the coast with the inland areas for trade and travel.

Quequén was officially founded on August 3, 1854. For many years, it was part of a larger area called Lobería Partido. But in 1979, the government decided to make Quequén and the nearby town of Costa Bonita part of the Necochea Partido. This happened because they were so close to Necochea, which was the main city of that area.

Why Quequén Wants to Be Independent

For a long time, the people of Quequén have wanted their town to be independent and manage its own resources.

Early Efforts for Self-Rule

Back in 1854, even before Quequén was officially founded, a group of local residents asked for the town to be created and become the main city for the larger Loberías Grandes area. Even though Quequén was founded, it stayed part of Lobería until May 22, 1979. That's when a special law made it part of the Necochea district instead.

In 1933, a group called the Neighborhood Development Union of Quequén was started. One of their main goals was to fight for Quequén to become an independent area. When democracy returned to Argentina in 1983, the idea of independence grew stronger. People started movements to separate from Necochea.

Voting for Independence

These groups asked the local government to hold a vote, called a referendum, so people could decide. However, the governments in charge of Necochea from 1983 to 2003 said no to these votes.

But in 2004, a new mayor, Dr. Daniel Anselmo Molina, kept a promise he made during his campaign. He allowed a special vote to happen. This vote wasn't legally binding, meaning the results didn't automatically change things, but it showed what the people wanted.

The 2004 vote used an electronic voting system. The results were very clear:

• 93.9% of Quequén residents voted to create a new, independent district.
• Only 5.38% wanted to stay part of Necochea.
• A small group (0.63%) wanted to join Lobería.

After this vote, the Quequén Pro-Autonomy Commission was formed, led by the Neighborhood Development Union. This group worked to make Quequén independent until 2007. In 2009, the Neighborhood Development Union created a new group called the Permanent Autonomous Forum. This group started talking with the province of Buenos Aires to create a new municipality (a self-governing area) for Quequén.

Today, the plan to make Quequén its own municipality is being discussed in the Provincial Senate of Buenos Aires. In 2011, a special "Tent of Hope" was set up near the port. Many residents who want independence gathered there to work for their goal. In 2012, Quequén residents even started protests on Route 2, just like another town, Lezama, did to achieve its own independence. The fight for Quequén's independence continues!

See also

In Spanish: Quequén para niños