Santiago commemorates Battle of 30 March

[NewsWhore]

President Leonel Fernandez was in Santiago for the military parade celebrating the 165th anniversary of the Battle of 30 of March 1844, which helped consolidate Dominican independence. At a mass, Archbishop Ramon Benito de la Rosa y Carpio reminded the attendees that the Dominican Republic still has a major battle ahead: the fight against drug trafficking. He called on the nation to follow the spirit of Founding Father Juan Pablo Duarte and the quiet men who fought the battle of Santiago on 30 March 1844 in defeating the drug traffickers. The official activities got under way at 8:00 in the morning with Vice President Rafael Alburquerque raising the flag in the Jose Maria Imbert Park where the patriots, under the command of General Fernando Valerio and Jose Maria Imbert defeated the invading Haitian army. During the flag-raising ceremony, there was a 21-gun salute and the National Anthem was played. After the ceremony, authorities and students from public and private schools walked to the cathedral for the Mass. Historian Juan Daniel Balcacer, the president of the Permanent Commission for Patriotic Anniversaries, gave a speech honoring the heroes of the battle.

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