More than 2,000 members of El Salvador’s armed forces and more than 2,000 civilians participated in a mass parade on Tuesday in the capital San Salvador to commemorate the country’s 1821 declaration of independence.
Since early Tuesday morning, the national flag was raised in the Plaza de la Independencia (Independence Square) in the historic center and people of all ages took to the streets to celebrate like every September 15.
“The young people from El Salvador Celebrates their independence.” El Salvador's President Salvador Sanchez Ceren.
Juventud salvadoreña celebra el 194 aniversario #IndependenciaSV pic.twitter.com/blbPyMrngU
— Salvador Sánchez C. (@sanchezceren)
September 15, 2015
The event was attended by the government's top officials, including President Salvador Sanchez Ceren, a former guerrilla member and leader of the left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front.
Parades are the most important activity for the independence celebrations and they are held all over the Central American nation that gained its independence from Spain after a 10-year heroic fight which begun in 1811 by people such as Manuel Jose Arce, Jose Simeon Canas and Jose Matias Delgado.
“It's time for Unity, Courage and Hope. Happy Independence Day!” El Salvador's President Salvador Sanchez Ceren.
Es tiempo de Unidad, Valor y Esperanza ¡Feliz día de la Independencia patria! pic.twitter.com/IweXrmHBZh
— Salvador Sánchez C. (@sanchezceren)
September 15, 2015
Salvadorans around the world are also celebrating the day. It is estimated that more than 25 percent of the country’s population migrated or fled during the civil war from 1980 to 1992 which ravaged the small Central American nation and claimed the lives of approximately 75,000 Salvadorans.
In its last report, the Salvadoran Ministry of Foreign Relations reported that approximately 1.5 million Salvadorans now live and work in the United States; 39,000 are in Canada according to Statistics Canada; and about 20,000 in Australia and another 12,000 in Italy.