Costa Rica has referred to its concerns about Nicaragua’s recent purchase of military weapons.

Managua, Sep 4 (EFE).- Nicaragua’s army celebrated its 37th anniversary with the traditional military parade.
President Daniel Ortega praised the Central American country’s armed forces during the celebration on Saturday, touting the military’s work in security, crime fighting and humanitarian missions.

A total of 2,200 troops, divided into 31 sections, marched in the parade.

Representatives of the canine unit, the medical corps, the rescue unit, the environmental battalion, the logistics command and the corps of engineers all marched in the parade.

The army showed off a variety of equipment, including Russian-made T-72 tanks.

Defense officials and armed forces commanders from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Taiwan and Venezuela were invited to the celebration.

El Salvador’s defense minister and Central American Armed Forces High Council chairman Gen. David Munguia attended the parade.

Nicaragua’s armed forces were founded on Sept. 2, 1979, replacing the National Guard created by the Somoza regime.

The military institution was initially known as the Sandinista People’s Army and renamed the Nicaraguan army in the 1990s. EFE