(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) MADRID, Oct 12 (KUNA) -- Spain on Thursday marked the national day with a strong show of unity through a military parade in Madrid under "Proud to be Spanish." Military forces marched down Madrid's Paseo de la Castellana boulevard to mark the day Christopher Columbus first arrived in the Americas in 1492.
For the fourth year in a row, King Felipe VI presided over the parade that featured the Air Force, Army, Navy and Civil Guard, as well as the national police that took part for the first time in three decades.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy attended, together with the senior state officials, cabinet members and military commanders, besides chiefs of the Spanish provinces, except for Catalonia and Basque.
In total, 3,900 military and police elements, 78 aircraft and 84 vehicles participated in the 1,800 meters parade, whose costs hit USD 474,000. The festival included an air show.
A flag of Lebanon was raised in gratitude to a gesture by a Lebanese officer who waved a Spanish flag in a position retaken from the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Ras Baalbek in late August in memory of the Spanish and world's victims of the group's attacks.
A homage was then dedicated to the victims of the twin attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils last August. It was attended by ambassadors of countries whose citizens lost life in the attacks; Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Germany , United States, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom and Australia.
Celebrations of the occasion in Spain are held on two days, during which the Spanish people are welcomed in military museums, palaces, the National Library and many other state institutions.
This year's festival comes amid tension between the Spanish Government and Catalonia, just a day after the Premier officially demanded the Catalan government to clarify or not it had declared independence.
Catalonia's leader Carles Puigdemont Tuesday evening put his signature to a document declaring the region's independence from Spain. But a moment later, he proposed that the effect of the declaration be suspended for a few weeks to allow for dialogue.
In a televised address, Rajoy did not rule out invoking article 155 of the Spanish constitution to take control of Catalonia, and accused Puigdemont of deliberately sowing confusion, offering him a deadline tell Monday to reply. (end) hnd.msa
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