Spanish
Santo Domingo.- Amid the arrival of Princess Leonor aboard the Training Ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano, the commander of the vessel, Captain of the Navy Luis Carreras Presas do Campo, offered statements to the press in which he avoided directly mentioning the heir to the Spanish throne, limiting himself to speaking in general terms about the crew and the midshipmen participating in the training cruise.
During his speech, Carreras highlighted that this journey, which began on January 11th in Cadiz, represents the 17th circumnavigation of South America by the ship and the 24th stop in Santo Domingo.
“This is one of our favorite ports because of the affection, the warmth with which they receive us, and because of the cultural richness and joy they have in the city and on the island,” he said.
When questioned about Princess Leonor, the commander did not offer specific details about her performance or her adaptation, repeating on several occasions that “all midshipmen are progressing adequately” and that “they are in the responsibility phase, the third stage of their training on board”.
“The Juan Sebastián de Elcano has been doing training cruises for 97 years. Every year we have taken midshipmen on board, this one too,” Carreras limited himself to saying, without making any mention of the young princess.
Regarding the agenda during their stay in the Dominican Republic, the commander explained that the crew will participate in social, cultural, and military activities organized in conjunction with the Spanish Embassy and the Dominican Navy. These include an exchange with the Dominican Naval School, the presentation of a documentary on historical shipwrecks, and the commemoration of the 370th anniversary of the city's defense.
Carreras emphasized the importance of offshore training, indicating that 75% of the cruise time is dedicated to navigation between ports, where the experience of sailors is truly forged.
“Life at sea requires attention until the last instant,” he said.
You may be interested in: Spanish citizens enthusiastically welcome Princess Leonor upon her arrival in Santo Domingo
When asked what he would personally take away from this visit to Santo Domingo, he replied: “What I do know is that I am going to enjoy myself, and above all I am going to enjoy the joy and affection that Dominicans always offer and have towards us.”
Despite the journalists' insistence, the commander maintained his position of not directly referring to Leonor de Borbón, in what many interpret as a strategy to protect the princess's privacy and the collective and formative nature of the mission aboard the ship.
The ship will set sail on May 24th bound for New York, its last stop before returning to Spain.
