The monument in the centre of Parc Hector-Toe-Blake, not far from the footpath, faces the Buste de Simón Bolívar. The choice of a single downtown site for the effigies of the two heroes was intended to create an easily accessible gathering place for Montréal’s Latin American community.

The monument is composed of a bronze bust of the likeness of José de San Martín placed directly on a truncated sandstone column on which is engraved historical information about the general’s exploits. The top of the column is unfinished and unpolished.

After the monument to Simón Bolívar was reinstalled, the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires wanted to bring together at a single site, as is traditionally done, the monuments to the two great liberators of South America by offering a bust of General José de San Martín to the Ville de Montréal. The donation took place in 2000 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of General San Martín’s death. Born in Argentina in 1778, José de San Martín is famous for having liberated Argentina, Chile, and Peru from foreign domination.