Colombia’s Independence Day takes place today and will mainly consist of military parades in different cities, as well as cultural and recreational activities. The mobilizations will include all armed forces: the National Army, the National Navy, the Colombian Air Force, and the National Police.
On a political level, it marks the beginning of the new legislature in Congress, where new presidents of the Senate and the House of Representatives will be elected. President Gustavo Petro is expected to use the solemn day to call on congressmen to achieve his “national agreement” to effectively implement the 2016 Peace Agreement.
July 20 and the traditional Independence Day military parades in Colombia
As usual, the main event on July 20 will be the traditional military parade. Although it was initially planned to be held in Quibdo, the capital of the Choco department, it will now take place in Bogota, the nation’s capital.
Starting at 10 a.m., representatives from all branches of the armed forces will parade along the emblematic Boyaca Avenue. The event will begin at the intersection of Boyaca Avenue and Americas Avenue in the west of Bogota and will end at the intersection of Boyaca Avenue and 26th Street. This nearly five-kilometer stretch will see the military showcasing their finest along one of Bogota’s main roads.
This military event will be repeated in most regional capital cities. For example, in Medellin, the celebration will start with a religious service at 9 a.m. in the Metropolitan Cathedral. Subsequently, the military will regain a prominence they have not had in the capital of Antioquia for 18 years.
The commemoration of Independence Day in Colombia will extend to other cities, such as Cali, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Armenia, Santa Marta, and many others, which will also have their own events. These celebrations will feature a clear military presence, accompanied in some places by the participation of educational institutions and musical bands.
President Petro’s “national agreement” to march on July 20 more political
The political events will begin in the Colombian Congress this afternoon, following the parade presided over by President Gustavo Petro. In his speech to the legislature, expected at 3 p.m., the head of state will call on congressmen to participate in a “national agreement” and will present a shock plan to accelerate compliance with the 2016 peace agreement.
In his address, Petro will take stock of his administration’s achievements in its first two years, which will conclude on Aug. 7. He will highlight advances in social and environmental justice, as well as the “Total Peace” initiative, which includes dialogue with various illegal armed groups in the country. References to the only major reform approved in the last legislature, the pension reform, are also expected.
The shock plan to be detailed by Petro includes eight points and was presented to the United Nations Security Council last week. The points include modifying the fiscal plan and the medium-term fiscal plan, changing the distribution of the General System of Participations, releasing coca-producing peasants from prison, and integrating new investments for the substitution of illicit crops.
This July 20 marks not only the beginning of a new legislative stage in Colombia, with terms that last one year and are renewed every July 20, but also anticipates intense political debates at the halfway point of President Petro’s term, with many of his electoral proposals still pending to become law.
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