Within the framework of the 200th anniversary of the Naval Battle of Lake Maracaibo and the anniversary of the Colombian Navy in the heroic city, yesterday, July 24, the Naval Institution together with international, national, regional and local authorities, Cartagena residents and tourists from all over the world, celebrated the Naval Bicentenary.
With events of a military and civil nature, different environments of the city were decorated to highlight the operation of this institution that protects the blue of the flag as well as the work of its greatest naval hero, Grand Admiral Jos茅 Padilla, who with his heroic deed definitively liberated the Gran Colombia.
A thanksgiving mass and a wreath laying ceremony took place in the historic center and this began the celebration, and later a military ceremony was carried out at the Corporation of Science and Technology for the Naval, Maritime and River Industry (COTECMAR), where the union of the first four blocks of the Colombian Ocean Patrol Ship-OPV93, designed and built 100% in our country, a milestone for naval engineering in Latin America, took place ; in the same environment, the launching of the high maritime interception boat ARC marinero Primero Dayro Antonio Mart铆nez Navarro was carried out and the protocol signing of the contractual design of the first frigate to be built in Colombia co-developed by Cotecmar and the Netherlands shipyard, Damen, which is a high technological impact work that promote the generation of jobs and national talent to provide support for the maritime and river needs of the region.
The rainy afternoon was interrupted with the majesty of the naval show that, with the participation of 11 maritime units, three submarines and six aircraft adorned the Caribbean Sea as a sign of naval power.
Locals and visitors joined this great celebration on the main dock of the Naval Base ARC Bol铆var approaching the naval culture, with the visit to the sailboats of Portugal, Argentina, Chile and Colombia, which these days opened their doors to share their history.
As a closing of the activity, the work of the Colombian sailors was recognized for the first time with the military medal to the spirit of the Naval Bicentenary in an imposing ceremony at the parades field of the Naval Cadet School Almirante Padilla.
The event counted on the presence of the President of the Republic, the military commanders, representatives of the national government, commanders of foreign navies, Cartagena and tourists.
Today, the warships will set sail from early morning heading to their countries after having been a fundamental part of this important celebration, while the sailboats will continue to be open to the public from 8:00 in the morning, the doors of the Naval Base will be open for you to enjoy this naval party and join us to say goodbye from 3:00 p.m. thus closing this historic celebration of the Naval Bicentenary.
The Bicentenary Navy will continue to work for villages in the Colombian Caribbean, protecting the blue of the Flag.
Source: Press - Navy of Colombia
