Spain's Juan Sebastián de Elcano and Mexico's ARM Papaloapan join US 250th Independence naval celebrations in New York

Spain’s training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano took part in the International Naval Review in New York Bay marking the United States’ 250th independence anniversary. The ship was open to visitors at Manhattan’s Pier 90/91, and a crew member proposed marriage on deck, an event highlighted by the Spanish navy’s official social‑media channels.

Mexico was also represented at the festivities, not by its flagship training ship Cuauhtémoc but by the former US landing ship ARM Papaloapan, which participated in the naval exercises and review. The absence of Cuauhtémoc sparked online comment from former ambassador Arturo Sarukhán, who later clarified that the vessel remained in Acapulco for upcoming training, while Papaloapan’s historic ties to the United States (formerly USS Newport) underscored the bilateral naval camaraderie.