"Facundo" by Domingo Faustino Sarmiento is an essay published in 1845 during his exile in Chile. The work examines Argentina's conflicts after independence through the lens of civilization versus barbarism. Sarmiento chronicles the life of Juan Facundo Quiroga, a gaucho military leader and provincial governor, while critiquing the rule of Juan Manuel de Rosas. The essay explores deep cultural divisions between urban and rural Argentina, between European ideals and Latin American realities, shaping debates about national identity that continue to resonate across Latin America today.