Overview
- A Mexican delegation from the Defense, Navy, and Foreign Affairs ministries boarded the USS Nimitz in international waters off Mexico’s Pacific coast after an invitation from U.S. Ambassador Ronald D. Johnson.
- Mexican authorities described the embarkation as a routine military-diplomatic activity carried out with respect for national sovereignty to build mutual trust.
- The visit formed part of Southern Seas 2026, a U.S. Southern Command deployment that trains with Latin American navies to counter drug and arms trafficking and to improve maritime surveillance.
- The Nimitz carrier group is transiting to Naval Station Norfolk with planned port calls in Brazil, Chile, Panama, and Jamaica, according to U.S. officials.
- USS Nimitz is the U.S. Navy’s oldest active aircraft carrier, a nuclear-powered ship that serves as a floating air base with an embarked air wing and escorting warships.