Bogota, Colombia (Associated Press) Prince Harry McCain and his wife Meghan arrived in Colombia on Thursday on their first visit to the South American country and are due to take part in several events promoting youth mental health and anti-cyberbullying, according to the Colombian vice president’s office.
The couple were welcomed at the Vice President Francia Márquez’s residence in downtown Bogotá, where they were treated to Colombian coffee and local cheese and yuca pastries. Marquez and Meghan greeted each other with gusto, according to photos released by the couple’s nonprofit, the Archewell Foundation.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, arrived in the South American country on Thursday for their first visit to the country, where they are scheduled to take part in several events promoting mental health among young people. They were welcomed at the official residence of Vice President Francia Marquez in Bogota.
A human rights activist, Colombia’s first black vice presidentHe said he would introduce the prince and duchess to Colombia’s cultural riches and the work the Colombian government is doing to fight inequality in a country where 33 percent of the population lives in poverty.
Speaking at a news conference ahead of a reception for Harry and Meghan, the vice president said the trip aimed to “build bridges and open doors” and to raise awareness and address “an issue that concerns all of humanity today: cyberbullying,” particularly its impact on children. Marquez said she herself was the victim of “12,000 racist attacks” last year.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a welcoming ceremony at the Delia Zapata National Center for the Arts in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. Colombian Vice President Francia Marquez, left, and director Xiomara Suescun, right. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)
On Saturday, Prince Harry and Meghan are due to depart for Colombia’s Caribbean region, where they will visit San Basilio de Palenque, a town of about 3,500 people south of the tourist city of Cartagena that was founded by runaway slaves in the 17th century.
On Sunday, the couple will visit Cali, one of the most important cities in the Colombian Pacific region, where they will attend a forum on “Women and Power in Africa.”
The Duchess of Sussex announced on a podcast in October 2022 that a DNA test revealed she is “43% Nigerian.”
___
Click here for AP coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
