MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Latin American tall ships open to the public at Argentine port

All tall ships together are “an example of fraternity, peace and warmth”

Visitors from everywhere are welcome since Friday to visit Latin America's most important tall ships gathered at the port of Mar del Plata in Argentina, ahead of the 2022 edition of a now traditional race featuring them.

Captains of the seven vessels entering the “Latin American Sails 2022” regatta thanked the city of Mar del Plata for its initiative of “fraternity, peace and warmth”, in contrast with the international war atmosphere in Eastern Europe.

Representing Argentina were ARA Libertad Captain Carlos Pedro Schavinsky and Coast Guard (Prefectura Naval) Captain Carlos Martín Micle of the Dr. Bernardo Houssay.

Also present were at the opening of the exhibition were Captain Marcos André Silva Araujo of Brazil's Cisne Branco; Captain Henry Maurio Barón Franco from Colombian OPV 20 de Julio; Captain Francisco Vásquez Torres from Ecuador's brigantine Guayas; Captain Pablo González Cambón from Uruguay's Capitán Miranda and Captain Roberto Vargas Salas of Peru's Unión.

Schavinsky thanked all the attendees for their presence and recalled that the regatta was created in 2010, after which it was agreed to hold it every four years. “This is the fourth edition, a show of camaraderie and brotherhood with all Latin American countries” and “cultural and social” initiative, which would prove “the great bond that the city [of Mar del Plata] has with the Navy”.

Captain Barón Franco described the regatta as “an example of fraternity, peace and warmth” and emphasized that the Colombian ship “is a warship, the first one built in my country, because the training ship Gloria is under repair.”

The ships will be open to the public until Monday at the local naval base.

A tent presenting the “Local Product” program will be set up at the Nautical Park, together with other tents of the Argentine Navy and at least fifteen food trucks. In addition, different musical shows will be performed.

All crews will stage a parade March 13 at 5pm local time.