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It ends the parade with presence of Latin America and a recollection for Afghanistan
Madrid, 12 oct (EFE) .-The parade of the Armed Forces, central act of the Day of the National Holiday, finished little before 12:00 and was marked by the Latin-American presence, of military men and of chiefs of State, and by the recollection and honoring to the Spanish deceaseds last August in Afghanistan.
The acts were presided by the Kings of Spain, and in the platform there were besides present the Princes of Asturias, the Dukes of Lugo, the Dukes of Palm, the chief of the Government, Jose Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and the presidents of Chile and Honduras, Ricardo Lagos and Ricardo Maduro, respectively.
There were also in the theater box the presidents of the Congress and of the Senate, all the members of the Government (except the ministers of Justice and of Education), all the autonomic presidents (except the lehendakari), the mayor of Madrid, the leader of the opposition, Mariano Rajoy, and representatives of the principal institutions and political parties.
Before the arrival of the Royal Family to the Plaza of Madrid of Colon, authorities and representatives of different political parties conversed of form distended in several circles, and stood out between these the long conversation that there supported the president of the PP, Mariano Rajoy, and the speaker member of parliament of the PSOE, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba.
After greeting the authorities and before it began the parade, the King inspected to the troops, the National Anthem sounded, the flag was hoisted and honoring gave up itself, under the sones of " The death is not the end ", to the Spanish military men in act of service, with a special recollection this year to seventeen dead men the past in Afghanistan last August.
Companions and relatives of the deceaseds in Afghanistan, between them the sargento Susana Perez Torres (widow of the sergeant Alfredo Francisco Joga, died in the desaster) deposited a wreath in their memory, and later the King and the prime minister did it.
Later, the King moved up to the place that the relatives of the victims were occupying to greet them personally.
In the parade more than 4.000 military men have intervened, between them representatives of eighteen Latin-American countries, as well as 80 aircrafts, included acrobatic planes, from combat and helicopters identical "Cougar" to those who had an accident in Afghanistan.
Ended the parade, and before leaving the place, the King accompanied by the minister of Defense, greeted representatives of all the units who took part in the same one.
After the march of the troops, the authorities will move up to the Royal Palace, where the Royal Family offers a Receipt on the occasion of the National Holiday.