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
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP