// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the 2010 Chilean Military Parade say? "March" forward.
| 2010 Chilean Military Parade | |
|---|---|
| Date | 19 September 2010 |
| Venue | O'Higgins Park |
| Locations | Santiago, Chile |
| Country | Chile |
| Participants | 7,545 military and police personnel |
The 2010 Chilean Military Parade, officially known as the Great Military Parade of the Bicentenary (Spanish: Gran Parada Militar del Bicentenario), was held at O'Higgins Park in Santiago on 19 September 2010 to commemorate the Day of the Glories of the Army and as part of the celebrations of the Bicentennial of Chile.[1][2][3]
Presided over by President Sebastián Piñera,[4][5] the military parade involved 7,545 personnel[6][7] from the Chilean Armed Forces and Carabineros de Chile, together with military delegations from eight foreign countries.[8][9]
The parade was the first presided over by Piñera[10][11][12] and formed part of the principal ceremonies marking 200 years since the establishment of Chile's First Government Junta. It featured an extensive historical component illustrating the development of the Chilean Army and a display of modern equipment including Leopard 2 tanks, Marder infantry fighting vehicles, Humvees and MD 530 helicopters.[8][9][13]
The ceremony also reflected the role played by the armed forces in the aftermath of the 2010 Chile earthquake, which had struck the country on 27 February. Piñera presented distinctions to four Army personnel for their humanitarian work following the disaster.[14]
Background
[edit]The 2010 parade was organized as part of the celebrations of the Chilean Bicentenary. The Army described the event as an unprecedented military parade intended to present both its historical development and its contemporary professional capabilities.[8]
The ceremony took place approximately seven months after the 8.8-magnitude earthquake of 27 February 2010. Military personnel had been extensively deployed in affected areas for security, humanitarian assistance and reconstruction-related tasks. Their participation in the earthquake response became one of the themes of the Bicentenary parade.[14][15]
The planned presenting force consisted of 7,545 personnel. Foreign Army delegations were invited from the United States, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia.[8]
The Army also prepared a historical echelon representing different periods of Chilean military history. Historical standards belonging to units associated with the origins and development of the institution were assembled for the ceremony.[8]
Parade
[edit]The ceremony began at approximately 14:45 local time at O'Higgins Park.[16] Piñera entered the ellipse shortly before 15:00 and, in a departure from the usual protocol, delivered an address before the march-past, highlighting the role of the armed forces following the February earthquake. He also decorated four Army personnel for their humanitarian work after the disaster.[15]
The opening presentation included 200 Chilean flags symbolizing the bicentenary. Major General Marcos López Ardiles, commander of the presenting forces, subsequently requested presidential authorization to begin the parade. The ceremony involved 7,545 military and police personnel and included delegations from the United States, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia.[15][17]
The Navy contributed approximately 1,500 personnel, including 80 women, from formations including the Arturo Prat Naval Academy, Naval Polytechnic Academy, Special Forces Command and Naval Reserve. The parade marked the first participation of the Navy's Special Forces Command and reserve officer companies, while female naval personnel marched integrated with their male counterparts.[16] The Air Force and Carabineros followed with their training and operational formations.[15]
The Army's presentation combined historical formations with contemporary units and equipment, including Leopard 2A4 tanks, Marder infantry fighting vehicles, Humvees and MD 530 helicopters; 58 military vehicles were scheduled to participate.[9] Historical standards associated with different periods of the Army's development were also presented and decorated with the Bicentenary Medal.[16] The parade lasted approximately three hours and twenty-four minutes.[9]
Bicentennial commemorations
[edit]The 2010 parade formed part of a wider program organized by the Army during September to commemorate both the Bicentenary of Chile and the Day of the Glories of the Army. Activities included the Army Bicentenary Marathon, open days at military installations, ceremonies honouring José Miguel Carrera and Bernardo O'Higgins, and the traditional military parade at O'Higgins Park.[18]
The Army's historical standards were decorated with the Bicentenary Medal during the ceremony.[16]
Piñera's address before the parade represented a departure from the traditional protocol. According to contemporary reporting, the proposal had emerged in discussions with the Army because of the significance of the Bicentenary and the institution's participation in post-earthquake reconstruction.[14]
The ceremony lasted approximately three hours and twenty-four minutes.[9]
References
[edit]- ↑ ""Ejércitos amigos" y armamento de alta tecnología animarán Parada Militar del Bicentenario". Emol (in Spanish). 8 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Ejército entregó detalles de la Parada Militar del Bicentenario". Cooperativa.cl (in Spanish). 8 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Cincuenta mil chilenos aplauden impecable Parada Militar del Bicentenario". Emol (in Spanish). 19 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Piñera destaca el rol del Ejército en la historia de Chile". El Mostrador (in Spanish). 19 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Homenaje presidencial a actuación de las FF.AA. tras el terremoto marcó la Parada". Cooperativa.cl (in Spanish). 19 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Más de 7 mil uniformados y 100 mil espectadores darán vida a la Parada Militar". Emol (in Spanish). 19 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Más de 7 mil efectivos de las fuerzas armadas y de orden desfilan en la Parada Militar Bicentenario". BioBioChile (in Spanish). 19 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Gran Parada Militar del Bicentenario" (in Spanish). Chilean Army. 9 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Leal, Christian (19 September 2010). "Culmina Parada Militar 2010 marcada por sorpresas al protocolo y gran despliegue bélico". BioBioChile (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Presidente Piñera dio inicio a la Parada Militar del 2010". Cooperativa.cl (in Spanish). 19 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ Guzmán, Gerson (19 September 2010). "Presidente Piñera encabeza Gran Parada Militar Bicentenario en Santiago". BioBioChile (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ Ruiz, Daniela (19 September 2010). "Inédito discurso de Piñera en Parada Militar". Radio Universidad de Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Ejército expone sistemas de armas" (in Spanish). Chilean Army. 24 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Discurso de homenaje al Ejército marca primera Parada Militar de Piñera". La Tercera (in Spanish). 20 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Leal, Christian (19 September 2010). "Presidente Piñera destaca rol de las Fuerzas Armadas "de todos y reconciliadas con su pasado"". BioBioChile (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ Guzmán, Gerson (19 September 2010). "Escalón Conjunto de Paz de Argentina, Ecuador y Chile es saludado antes de participar en la Parada". BioBioChile (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Actividades del Ejército en el Mes del Bicentenario" (in Spanish). Chilean Army. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
