The Ministry of Defense has already confirmed what the Armed Forces parade will be like that will take place this October 12 in Madrid on the occasion of Hispanic Heritage Day. The event, chaired by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, will begin at 11:00 in the morning and will take place along Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado. Along with the kings will be the civil and military authorities, and among them will be the president of Vox, Santiago Abascal, who has expressed through social networks his intention to spend that date in Ceuta.
In a climate marked by the early elections, the National Holiday Day will have a military parade in which, according to official data from the department of Margarita Robles, some 4,400 people will participate, including members of the Armed forcesState Security and Corps and civil institutions.
This year, the Armed Forces are presented on their day, October 12, as one of the institutions best valued by the Spanish, as highlighted by the Ministry of Defense, thanks to “its constant contribution to collective defense in international missions, rapid action in emergencies and catastrophes and its involvement in peace operations and humanitarian aid.”
The first event of those that will take place this morning in Madrid is a videoconference by the minister in which she will address the contingents deployed abroad, where there are some 3,000 soldiers under the flag of NATO, the UN and the EU.
The arrival of the Kings is scheduled at 11:00
One of the most anticipated moments of the parade is the arrival of the Kings of Spain, which will take place at 11:00 in the morning, followed by the traditional jump of the Parachute Acrobatic Patrol of the Air and Space Army (PAPEA), which will descend with a Spanish flag that measures 24 square meters and weighs about 15 kilos.
First Sergeant Pablo García Matanza will be the one who jumps as a guide and First Corporal José Antonio Lago will be in charge of carrying the flag. The Mirlo Formation, which is the heir to the Águila Patrol, also participates and will fly over Madrid for the second time during this day. It will be when the tribute to those who lost their lives defending Spain will be carried out, where the anthem ‘Death is not the end’ will also be sung.
Regarding the land parade, there will be 144 vehicles and 39 motorcycles, with units in which there will be 300 horses and 5 dogs.
Where you can see the Armed Forces parade on October 12
The central event begins at 11 in the morning on Monday, October 12, with the arrival of the Kings, in the center of Madrid. For those who cannot be there, TVE will broadcast the entire parade live as usual and it can also be followed through social networks or streaming through the Ministry of Defense.
The celebration of October 12 is regulated in Law 18/1987, which establishes this day as ‘National Holiday of Spain’ and in which historical events that are part of the heritage of the Spanish people are commemorated, as highlighted by the department of Margarita Robles.
Remembrance of various milestones in military history
In addition to the parade, this moment will be used to review different events that have happened in recent times, related to military history in Spain. One of them is the launching and baptism of the A-21 Poseidon ship, which aims to be a fundamental tool for the Navy, in relation to underwater intervention, rescue and rescue of submarines.
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Reference will also be made to the centenary of the Elcano Squadron, which was the protagonist of an important event in Spanish military aviation when it completed the flight between Madrid and Manila.