Bogotá .- Colombia celebrated its Independence Day this July 20th with a military parade presided over for the last time by the outgoing president, Gustavo Petro, who will end his term on August 7th.
In the parade, held for the first time in Ciudad Bolívar, a populous sector in the south of Bogotá, the president, dressed in a dark suit and maroon tie, was accompanied on the honorary stage by Vice President Francia Márquez and the acting Minister of Defense, Angélica Verbel.
After a minute of silence in memory of the fallen soldiers and police officers, and following the decoration of Armed Forces commanders, the parade began with the traditional march of the Korean War (1950-1953) veterans, who are becoming fewer each year due to their age.
The outgoing president handed left-wing senator María José Pizarro the hat that belonged to her father, Carlos Pizarro, leader of the defunct M-19 guerrilla group, as “a symbol of peace” in his final speech.
“This hat of Carlos Pizarro has a special significance that recent generations must know throughout Colombia, because this hat has been slandered by some traditional press of lies,” said Petro at the beginning of his speech in Ciudad Bolívar, a populous neighborhood in the south of Bogotá.
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The Independence military parade
The military parade for the 216th anniversary of Colombia’s Independence, dated July 20, 1810, brought together 124 blocks composed of 6,257 men and women from the Army, the Navy, the Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC), the National Police, and other units.
The traditional air parade was led by 19 aircraft, including the FAC’s Kfir fighters, which flew over the south of Bogotá in formation, as well as Police and Army helicopters.
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Veterans of the Military Forces and the Police also paraded as a tribute to those who dedicated their lives to the service of the country.
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Thousands of people stationed themselves from the early hours of the morning along the route to witness the parade, characterized by the dress uniforms of the different forces, the marching bands, and the synchronized step of the troops.
Upon concluding the military parade, Petro will deliver his final speech as head of state to the people in the same location; later in the afternoon, he will have another address at the National Capitol, when he will inaugurate the legislative session of the Congress elected last March 8th in the legislative elections.
