2010 Chilean Military Parade

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.

Presided over by President Sebastián Piñera, the military parade involved 7,545 personnel from the Chilean Armed Forces and Carabineros de Chile, together with military delegations from eight foreign countries.

The parade was the first presided over by Piñera 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.

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.

Background

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.

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.

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.

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.

Parade

The ceremony began at approximately 14:45 local time at O'Higgins Park. 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.

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.

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. The Air Force and Carabineros followed with their training and operational formations.

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. Historical standards associated with different periods of the Army's development were also presented and decorated with the Bicentenary Medal. The parade lasted approximately three hours and twenty-four minutes.

Bicentennial commemorations

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.

The Army's historical standards were decorated with the Bicentenary Medal during the ceremony.

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.

The ceremony lasted approximately three hours and twenty-four minutes.