In 2001, the ship reverted to her original Mexican Navy name of Commodoro Manuel Azueta, was reclassed as a destroyer with the new pennant number of D111, and used primarily as a training vessel for Mexico's Gulf Fleet. In that role, all anti-submarine equipment and all of the original U.S. Navy radar-controlled gun directors were removed. On 3 July 2015 she was decommissioned by the Mexican Navy at Veracruz, making her the last of the class to be retired from service worldwide. Commodoro Manuel Azueta was subsequently stripped and all contaminants were removed prior to disposal as an artificial reef. She was scuttled on 6 November 2017 in the Rizo reef zone off Antón Lizardo, Veracruz.
