Princess Leonor above Salvador on the first scale in America of the ship ‘Elcano’

Princess Leonor de Borbón, heiress of the throne of Spain, arrived this Friday in the port of Salvador, in the Brazilian state of Bahia, aboard the Juan Sebastián de Elcano school ship, at the first stop in America in the framework of her trip of her trip instruction.

Juan Sebastián de Elcano, who performs his XCVII instruction cruise, with 76 goalkeeper on board, including the princess of Asturias, docked around 09.00 local time (12.00 GMT) in the Bay of All Saints, according to Efe Efe .

The scale in Salvador, in the Northeast of Brazil, is loaded with symbolism, as it will serve to commemorate the 400 anniversary of the recovery of the city of the hands of the Dutch by a combined Hispanic-Portuguese fleet.

In this context, a floral offering will be made to the fallen of both armed forces and there will be a formal act in which the Spanish Navy will deliver to the Brazilian Navy a restored copy of the «Site and company of Salvador de Bahía».

The boat was received by representatives of the Bahiana Society and the Spanish community based in the region, which exceeds 14,000 people and is the third largest in Brazil, after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, according to Spanish official sources.

In fact, it is the first foreign community within the state of Bahia and, for the most part, it is composed of Galicians from the province of Pontevedra, who arrived in Brazil between the late nineteenth and mid -20th century.

Within the framework of the arrival of Juan Sebastián de Elcano, local authorities have also organized a tourist visit by the city of Salvador for the Guardiamarinas.

Likewise, the Embassy of Spain in Brasilia, in collaboration with the Cervantes Institute of Salvador and the Geographic and Historical Institute of Bay, organizes a history seminar entitled «Salvador de Bahía and its site and company of 1625».

The Symposium will participate renowned Bahian and Spanish historians, and will attend a representation of officers of the school ship.

From Salvador, the instructional trip will continue its route with scales in Montevideo, Punta Arenas and Valparaíso (Chile), El Callao (Peru), Panama City, Cartagena de Indias and Santa Marta (Colombia), to Santo Domingo and New York, to cross the Atlantic back to Spain.

The school ship, in which about 240 people travel, plans to return to Spain next July.

Leonor de Borbón, 19, is the oldest of the two daughters of the kings of Spain and his stay in the Navy is part of his military formation.

EFE