The historical change of guard of the Granaderos, Patricios and Iriarte Regiments in the Plaza de Mayo: the color and spirit of an unprecedented act

This morning a colorful, exciting and unprecedented military ceremony was held in the Plaza de Mayo, with the historic changing of the guard by the “General San Martín” Horse Grenadier Regiment, the 1st “Patricios” Infantry Regiment and the Artillery 1st. Brigadier General Iriarte”. More than 150 soldiers, with their gala uniforms and the “Tambore de Tacuari” band, occupied the custody of the Casa Rosada, the Cathedral, the Cabildo and the Ministry of Defense, just like in the main capitals of the world.

“It is a tradition that we are recovering and we are giving it a very important historical content. This is unprecedented. A historical relief of three regiments, the Iriarte, the Granaderos and the Patricios, belongs to this The demand that we wanted to make from the armed forces from day one“, assured Defense Minister Luis Petri, who organized an event with the participation of thousands of neighbors, tourists and citizens who gathered in front of the May Pyramid.

“People enjoy this function. This has to be remembered, this is to validate the role of our armed forces. Also, this is a very important and necessary cultural program which the citizens were demanding for a long time.

“, said the official, who announced that events with similar features would be organized with historical units in the interior of the country. According to what he could learn infobaeIn the near future will participate “Los Infernales de Güemes”, belonging to the Mountain Exploration Cavalry Regiment 5, based in Salta.

Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, Brigadier General Xavier Julian Isaac attended the event; and Chief of Staff of the Army, Brigadier General Carlos Alberto Presti; From the Navy, Rear Admiral Carlos María Alevi; and from the Air Force, Major Brigadier Fernando Luis Mengo. Minister Petrie led the ceremony and was accompanied by his fellow journalist Christina Perez.

Till now, the changing of the guard was done separately for each building and monument. Now the relief of the custody of the Casa Rosada by members of the Horse Grenadiers was unified into a single act; The Cabildo, where the members of the Patricios are located; and the Libertador Building, headquarters of the Ministry of Defense, under the symbolic protection of the Iriarte Regiment, the historical unit of the artillery weapon.

During the ceremony, the military band, the army and the event participants sang the national anthem, the Malvinas March – which had a special emotion on the part of both the public and the soldiers –, the San Lorenzo March, the Army March and the March “El Uno Grande”, the Anthem of the Patricios. .

At the end of the program Minister Petrie compared the organization of the joint changing of the guard to the previous government’s attitude towards the armed forces: “They were reviled, they were insulted, they were humiliated. We believe the opposite. The people are armed. Love the forces, because they know that they have represented freedom, for freedom, and for that very reason, glory.”

“This changing of the guard will take place on the first Saturday of every month, where people will be able to see the historical regiments. Similar events are going to be held in the interiors of the country as well, because we want it to be federal,” said the Defense Minister, who is already working on organizing a military parade for July 9, Independence Day. Have been.

The oldest of the three units participated in the event Infantry Regiment 1 “Patricians”, Located in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo. This is a unit which was formed on the occasion of the British invasion and its date of establishment is 15 September. 1806, According to historical reconstructions, it was activated in response to the proclamation of santiago de lineares and Bremond, who “invited all citizens to arm themselves against the enemy.”

According to official information from that proclamation “The Valiant Army of Urban Volunteer Guardians”, It was formed to meet an imminent threat and, say historians, “was executed even before the nation was ready.” The truth is that on July 5, 1807 he received “a baptism of fire, which was glorious.” “Defense of Buenos Aires”, This unit is in charge of the security of the Buenos Aires Town Hall, located in front of the Casa Rosada on the Plaza de Mayo.

The second, and perhaps the most famous of the three, is Horse Grenadier Regiment, It is also located in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo, a few blocks from the previous one. It was established on 16 March 1812, Through a dispatch from the then Lieutenant Colonel of Cavalry, Jose de San Martin, According to the National Historical Museum, at the request of the Superior Government of the United Province of the Río de la Plata.

This unit is in charge presidential escort and also the guard of the Casa Rosada, where the Argentine head of state works; He is currently Xavier Miley.

the third is Artillery Regiment 1. This historic unit of the Argentine Army was created by order of then President Bernardino Rivadavia, on May 9, 1826, in the name of Light Artillery Regiment. The antecedent of this unit is the Corps of Patriot Volunteers, formed in 1806, which later became “Patricians”.

In 1950, the Secretary of War, General Benjamin Ratenbach, decided that the unit should be named after its first chief, “Brigadier General Tomás de Iriarte”. Since 1996, in recognition of its career and services rendered to the nation, it has been designated as an escort unit for the Defense Minister; And in 2011, the date on which the unit’s 185th anniversary was celebrated, Artillery Group 1 changed its name to Artillery Regiment 1 “Brigadier General Tomás de Iriarte”.