Who is the Mexican Training Ship Cuauhtémoc?
The Mexican training ship Cuauhtémoc was built in 1982 at the shipyards of Bilbao, Spain. Its purpose is to instruct cadets in the Mexican Navy’s traditional navigation skills. Over its more than 40-year history, the three-masted vessel has sailed over 800,000 nautical miles, equivalent to approximately 38 circuits around the globe, according to Mexico’s Secretary of the Navy.
“The over 100 months the ship has spent at sea during its instructional voyages is a testament to its prowess,” the naval institution highlights on its website.
Why was it in New York?
On April 6, the ship set sail from its home port in Acapulco to embark on its instructional voyage titled “Consolidation of Mexico’s Independence 2025.” With 277 crew members on board, the vessel, known as “Ambassador and Gentleman of the Seas,” planned to visit 22 ports in 15 countries, including the United States, Jamaica, and France.
As part of this journey, the ship docked in New York on Tuesday and remained open to tourists until Saturday, when it was scheduled to depart for Iceland.
Why were official party supporters on the ship?
The collision of this ship with the Brooklyn Bridge sparked controversy in Mexico because Morena’s New York committee, the party of President Claudia Sheinbaum, took advantage of the ship’s presence to promote the unprecedented elections of judges and magistrates on June 1. The upcoming election will renew Mexico’s judicial power, including the Supreme Court.
“It is very necessary to vote so that we have the majority and gradually get out of this stalemate with corrupt judges,” a woman stated in a promotional video for the elections on Morena’s New York committee YouTube channel.
The Mexican Navy has held a prominent position since Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration (2018-2024), the founder of Morena. During this period, the naval institution has managed Benito Juárez International Airport, Mexico City’s most significant airport. Additionally, it oversees a train traversing southern Mexico from Salina Cruz, Pacific port to Coatzacoalcos, Gulf of Mexico port, one of López Obrador’s emblematic projects.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the Mexican training ship Cuauhtémoc? The Cuauhtémoc is a Mexican training ship built in 1982 to instruct cadets in traditional navigation skills for the Mexican Navy.
- Why was it in New York? The ship docked in New York as part of its instructional voyage titled “Consolidation of Mexico’s Independence 2025,” which aimed to visit 22 ports in 15 countries.
- Why were official party supporters on the ship? Morena’s New York committee used the ship’s presence to promote elections for judges and magistrates, set to renew Mexico’s judicial power, including the Supreme Court.
