Spain’s royal heir has taken a break from the Olympics to travel to Paraguay for the inuaguration of President Fernando Lugo.
Crown Prince Felipe attended, along with several heads of state, including Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez.
The ceremony was a major step for Paraguay. The election of the leftist ex-bishop Lugo marked the end of six decades of one-party rule in a key step in the poor South American nation’s democratic transformation.
“Today Paraguay breaks with its reputation for corruption, breaks with the few feudal lords of the past,” said Lugo, who shaved off most of his trademark beard but stuck with a goatee for the ceremony.
Paraguay was once a Spanish colony until May 1811 when independence was declared.
The Spanish royal family is one such switch. Crown Prince Felipe and Crown Princess Letizia attended the beginnings of these Games, but have now left. They are being replaced by Queen Sofia, and her daughter Infanta Cristina and her husband Inaki Urdangarin, a former Olympian himself. The Infanta and Inaki met during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
when King Carl represented Sweden, and Silvia was working as a translator. The Swedish royals have been absent from Beijing Games until now, right in time for the track and field events where Sweden is expected to do well.
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