Spain celebrates its National Day highlighting its role in the world

USPA NEWS - Spain celebrated its National Day this Wednesday. Like every October 12, the feast of the Virgin of Pilar, Spain commemorates the anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. But not only that: also Hispanidad, understood as the expansion of Spanish throughout America and some areas of Asia, and the Spanish cultural presence throughout the world. "October 12 is a union holiday, twinning, in which we also show our bond with the international community," said the Government. The central act of the day was a great military parade in Madrid, like those before the pandemic, presided over by the King and Queen of Spain.

The Spanish Armed Forces participate in 17 missions abroad. Among the units that paraded this Wednesday, there were some who have just returned from areas close to the war in Ukraine and others who are preparing their deployment in that area scheduled for next year. All of them were acclaimed by the thousands of people from Madrid who crowded along the Paseo de la Castellana, one of the main streets of Madrid, as well as the Legion and the Civil Guard, which are the favorites of the Spaniards.

The day began with the arrival of King Felipe VI and King Letizia, accompanied by their youngest daughter, Infanta Sofía, to the royal tribune, where they were received by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, ministers of the Government of Spain, regional presidents, members of the opposition and civil authorities. The president of the Supreme Court and the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ in its acronym in Spanish), Carlos Lesmes, who presented his resignation last Monday, was not present until this week. Neither were some other members of the CGPJ, evidencing the existing division within that instance of the judiciary due to the lack of agreement among politicians to renew the vacancies.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was booed by the audience, while the King and Queen were acclaimed by the people of Madrid. A parachutist landed in front of the monarch, carrying a 52 square meter Spanish flag. King Felipe VI placed a laurel wreath at the foot of the great flag, in homage to the soldiers who fell in the performance of their missions. After the tribute, the parade began with the flight of 83 planes from different squadrons distributed throughout the national territory, and the passage of 97 vehicles and 37 motorcycles from nine land and sea units. Subsequently, the units paraded on foot: soldiers from different units, police and civil guards. The novelty was the participation in the parade of a company from the Canary Islands Autonomous Police, created in 2008, which was applauded by the audience for having intervened when the volcano on the island of La Palma erupted.

After the parade, the King and Queen, the Government, the opposition leaders, the regional presidents and the civil authorities moved to the Royal Palace, where the monarchs offered a reception. “The commemoration of the National Holiday is intended to solemnly remember moments of collective history that are part of the common historical, cultural and social heritage, assumed as such by the vast majority of citizens. According to Law 18/1987, of October 7, which establishes the day of the National Holiday of Spain on October 12, symbolizes the historical event in which Spain, on the verge of concluding a process of construction of the State from of our cultural and political plurality, and the integration of the Kingdoms of Spain in the same Monarchy, begins a period of linguistic and cultural projection beyond European limits,” explained the Royal House in a statement.