Queen Letizia, wife of Felipe VI, began this Wednesday her ninth cooperation trip since assuming her role as Queen, visiting Guatemala.
She arrived in the Central American country shortly after 2 a.m. Spanish time.
Her arrival was quickly highlighted by the local media, which noted a slight limp while walking and temporary road closures, which surprised many drivers.
Queen Letizia’s cooperation in Guatemala
The Spanish Air Force plane landed at 6 p.m. local time. Guatemala’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, María Luisa Ramírez, and the Spanish Ambassador, Clara Girbau, were waiting to receive Her Majesty.
In addition, Letizia greeted several members of the Spanish Cooperation Agency, with whom she will share her activities during the next two days.
The first image of the Queen in Guatemala was not surprising in terms of her attire: the familiar red aid worker’s vest, beige pants and white shirt.
However, there were two novel details. Instead of her usual boots, Letizia opted for sneakers due to a domestic accident in May.
These sneakers, model Geo Court II by Vivobarefoot, are known for their ergonomics and comfort.
In addition, her earrings were discreet, with a small sparkler, reflecting her focus on work rather than jewelry.
Queen Letizia’s agenda
The Queen’s schedule is marathon, with various appointments in different locations.
She will share many of these activities with the First Lady of Guatemala, Lucrecia Peinado, whom she met at an official luncheon at the Royal Palace in February. Together, they will visit the Centennial Park and the works of recovery of the public space, where the Spanish Cooperation has intervened.
Before that, the first lady will host a breakfast for Letizia at the National Palace of Culture, followed by a talk on the challenges of mental health in the country.
The mother of Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia will also visit a project for autonomy and comprehensive care for indigenous and mestizo women in Chimaltenango.
In addition, she will meet with members of the Spanish Cooperation Office in Guatemala and visit the Escuela Taller del Norte, which is currently under construction.
Given her intense agenda, the Queen rested from her arrival at La Aurora airport until Wednesday morning in Guatemala.
The motorcade accompanying her went directly to the hotel after the official welcome to ensure her rest.
The convoy and the Queen’s arrival caused temporary road closures, affecting traffic in the capital, local media reported. This inconvenience will probably be repeated in other areas during her stay.
This trip to Guatemala is part of the ongoing cooperation efforts of Queen Letizia, who has previously visited Honduras and El Salvador (2015), Dominican Republic and Haiti (2018), Honduras again (2020), Paraguay (2021) and Colombia (2023).