Mexican Navy sees largest command yet for female commander

Previously, women had commanded only smaller 55-foot (17-meter) pursuit vessels in the Mexican Navy, a post in which Cházaro Berriel previously served. The Bonampak has a crew of 15 and is the type of vessel that patrols within Mexico's territorial waters in tasks like intercepting drug shipments. The Navy said Cházaro Berriel took the cutter out Saturday from the Pacific coast port of Mazatlán on her first mission in command.

Mexico's Navy said Sunday it has named the first woman to command a coast guard cutter, the largest command yet for a female in the Mexican service. Frigate Lt. Gloria Cházaro Berriel took command of the 140-foot (42.8-meter) Bonampak. Previously, women had commanded only smaller 55-foot (17-meter) pursuit vessels in the Mexican Navy, a post in which Cházaro Berriel previously served.

The Bonampak has a crew of 15 and is the type of vessel that patrols within Mexico's territorial waters in tasks like intercepting drug shipments. Mexico has no separate coast guard, and the Navy performs that role. The Navy said Cházaro Berriel took the cutter out Saturday from the Pacific coast port of Mazatlán on her first mission in command. Her ship is headed for a deployment around the Islas Marias, a former penal colony in the Pacific that has been turned into an environmental education center.

Cházaro Berriel graduated first in her class from the Naval Academy..