▁ceremony ▁started ▁after ▁m idd ay , ▁with ▁the ▁attend ance ▁of ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁citizens . ▁The ▁monument ▁was ▁rounded ▁on ▁a ▁square ▁formation ▁by ▁territorial ▁authorities , ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁G endar mer ie ▁and ▁the ▁ ▁Ar med ▁Forces , ▁and ▁school ▁students . ▁It ▁was ▁bl essed ▁by ▁Alfonso ▁But t eler , ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Neu qu én - M endo za . ▁Following ▁speech es ▁from ▁local ▁authorities ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁commission , ▁a ▁military ▁para de ▁was ▁organized . ▁On ▁the ▁days ▁that ▁followed ▁Fal con e ▁S . R . L ▁completed ▁the ▁covering ▁of ▁the ▁base , ▁and ▁removed ▁the ▁flags . ▁ ▁Re forms ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁San ▁Martin ian ▁Society ▁requested ▁to ▁f ence ▁the ▁monument ▁after ▁it ▁was ▁repeatedly ▁v andal ized . ▁The ▁request ▁was ▁dismiss ed ▁by ▁the ▁city ▁council , ▁that ▁considered ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁affect ▁the ▁a est het ics ▁of ▁the ▁monument . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁municipal ▁government ▁of ▁Neu qu én ▁made ▁renew als ▁on ▁the ▁monument . ▁The ▁Public ▁Build ings ▁and ▁Trans it ▁Secret ariat ▁replaced ▁the ▁quick lime ▁t iles ▁of ▁the ▁round about ▁for ▁por ph yr ▁ones , ▁that ▁formed ▁a ▁sun - and - star ▁shape . ▁The ▁National ▁University ▁of ▁Com ah ue ▁was ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁ill um ination ▁of ▁the ▁monument . ▁On ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁twelve ▁pointers