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The Granaderos de Tarqui
But even the stern and serious Granaderos had to break with tradition in 2004, when 80 of the world's most beautiful women paraded in front of them as part of the filming for the Miss Universe contest which took place in Ecuador. And pity poor Sergeant Milton Arias, who had to try to keep a straight face while both Miss Venezuela and Miss United States decided to plant kisses on either of his cheeks. The photo made headlines around the world, and although the grenadier remained immobile, his face said it all.
The grenadiers are the guard of honour of the Presidential Palace, a building which dates back 300 years and which has been home to many Ecuadorian presidents. The Granaderos de Tarqui, along with the liberators Simón Bolívar and San Martín, were part of the crack patriot troops who drove out the Spanish from from 1812 onwards.
The original presidential guard were mounted and began duties in the 1940s. In 1952, President José María Velasco Ibarra reorganized the regiment and it was renamed the Tarqui Grenadiers. Their motto is: "Loyalty even with sacrifice."
The grenadiers' uniforms are the same ones used by troops at the Battle of Tarqui in February 1829, when 4,000 troops from Gran Colombia (Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela) seized victory from 8,000 Peruvians. The commemoration of the battle is marked every year, on 27th February. In many schools in Ecuador, the occasion is celebrated with schoolchildren swearing allegiance to the national flag.
In the meantime, the grenadiers change the guard twice a day at the Palace, while on Monday there is a more formal ceremony at 11 am. It's a great chance to see Ecuadorian military pomp and procession at its best, with plenty of shiny boots, polished brass and the requisite brass bands and fanfare of trumpets. On most occasions, the ceremony is as solemn and serious as always. That's except when there are 80 Miss Universe candidates in the vicinity.
