Prince Harry and Meghan arrive in Colombia to promote mental health and combat cyberbullying

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Prince Harry and his wife Meghan arrived in Colombia on Thursday in their first visit to the South American country, where they will take part in several events promoting mental health for young people and how to combat cyberbullying, the office of Colombia's vice president said.

Harry and Meghan were welcomed at the residence of Vice President Francia Márquez in the heart of Bogotá, where they were treated to Colombian coffee and local pastries made with cheese and yuca. Márquez and Meghan greeted each other effusively, according to a photograph released by the Archewell Foundation, the couple's nonprofit organization.

Márquez, a human rights activist and Colombia’s first Black vice president, said she will show the prince and the duchess the cultural richness of the country and the work Colombia’s government is doing to fight inequality in a country where 33% of the population lives in poverty.

The vice president said in a news conference prior to the reception of Harry and Meghan that the visit seeks to “build bridges and open doors” and to raise awareness and address a “problem that concerns all of humanity today: cyberbullying,” especially because of its impact on children. Márquez herself said she was the victim of “12,000 racist attacks” last year.

On Saturday, Harry and Meghan are expected to travel to the Colombian Caribbean, where they will visit San Basilio de Palenque, a town of about 3,500 south of the tourist city of Cartagena, which was founded in the 17th century by runaway slaves.

On Sunday, the couple will visit Cali, one of the most important cities in the Colombian Pacific, where they will attend a forum on “Afro women and power.”

The Duchess of Sussex had announced on her podcast in October 2022 that she found out through the DNA-based test that she was “43% Nigerian.”

___

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america