Brazil purchased twelve French combat aircraft Mirage 2000 during the official visit of President Lula da Silva to Paris where he was the guest of honor for the July 14th Bastille Day celebrations.
The Elysée Palace announced the agreement was signed by Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Celso Amorim and French Defense Minister Michelle Alliot-Marie.
President Lula’s three days visit began July 14th when next to President Jacques Chirac he reviewed the huge military parade that on this occasion included Brazilian infantry and seven Tucano training aircraft, manufactured in Brazil.
Actually 50 members of the Brazilian marines music band and 96 cadets from the Agulhas Negras military Academy, with their colorful uniforms dating back to 1790 opened the parade while sixty aircraft overflew the Champs Elysées from the Arc of Triumph to the Place of the Concorde.
These were followed by the march of French light and armored vehicles which was accompanied by a swarm of 29 helicopters.
The air parade was closed by the seven Brazilian designed and built one engine Tucano, which covered the Paris sky with the green and yellow of the Brazilian flag.
This article appeared originally in Mercopress – www.mercopress.com.