Colombia’s ARC Gloria has gained international attention throughout its tour across European ports. However, this beautiful three-masted bark is not unique, as it has three sister ships belonging to other Latin American nations. Today, Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, and Venezuela are all sailing across the sea with their sister ships, spreading the culture and history of Latin America worldwide.
ARM Cuahtemoc, the youngest sister ship of ARC Gloria
Mexican president Jose Lopez Portillo commissioned the construction of a sailboat that mirrored the construction of the ARC Gloria in 1981. By 1982, the ship had already been built and was named Cuahtemoc after the last Aztec emperor executed by Conquistador Hernán Cortés.
Designed as a training ship, this ship has also participated in International Regatas, such as the Op Sail and the Tall Ships Race. However, just like its sister ship the ARC Gloria, the ARM Cuahtemoc also has important cultural and diplomatic significance for Mexico.
BAE Guayas, the Ecuadorian jewel
The BAE Guayas was built in the same shipyard as the ARC Gloria, by Bilbanio Celaya. The ship is named after the largest river in Ecuador, but like the Cuahtemoc, is also named after an indigenous leader. In this case, BAE Guayas was the name of the chief of the Huancavilcas, who originated near modern-day Guayaquil. This is a common practice in Latin America, a region with prominent indigenous heritage and ancestry.
This ship is commonly stationed near Guayaquil in Ecuador, where the National Naval School is located. Ecuador decided to build this ship in 1974, after looking at the example set by Colombia of using its ship as a training ship. The Ecuadorian government also intends to use it as an ambassador for the nation, and an asset to foreign policy.
Colombia and Ecuador both aim to promote their image through these ships, which therefore become a soft power asset for the two countries.
Since the BAE Guayas was built after the ARC Gloria, the shipyard was able to fix some technical aspects. For instance, they reduced wind exposure and introduced a bigger frame and a better engine.
The BAE Guayas was the last of the ships to complete a real military mission. This happened in October 2021, when the crew successfully captured a submarine that was being used by drug cartels on the Pacific coasts of Colombia.
ARBV Simon Bolivar, the sister-ship from the ‘Sister Nation’
The Venezuelan Navy named this ship after Simon Bolivar, the liberator of several Andean countries. They aimed to make it larger than both the ARC GLORIA and the BAE GUAYAS. Like all its sister ships, the Venezuelan Navy uses this ship for training purposes.
However, due to its size, this ship’s crew is larger than the ones aboard its sister ships. The crew is composed of 16 officers, 76 sailors, and 102 cadets, from the Venezuelan Naval Academy. Since its creation, the ship has had women aboard as crew. This hast set a big difference between the Simon Bolivar and the other sister ships, given that throughout their history they have almost exclusively been operated by men.
Like the ARM Cuahtemoc, this ship has also taken part in international regattas such as the previously mentioned Tall Ships Race and Op Sail. However, in contrast with its sister ships, the ARBV Simon Bolivar has one annual training tour. It departs from La Guaria Port (in the center-north of Venezuela) and sails through the world under the “Ambassador Without Frontiers” slogan.