On Friday, March 15, the Kings of Sweden, Carlos XVI Gustavo and Silvia, said goodbye to Yucatán, after a tour of the Great Museum of the Mayan World of Mérida in which they were accompanied by the heads of the secretariats General of Government (SGG), María Fritz Sierra and of Culture and the Arts (Sedeculta), Loreto Villanueva Trujillo.
After two days of activities, the royal couple, who arrived in Yucatecan lands on the 13th of March, as part of their State Visit to Mexico, did not want to leave without first visiting this modern and avant-garde cultural space, considered one of the most important in Latin America exhibits a magnificent collection of archaeological pieces from the Mayan civilization.
Accompanied by their entourage and State Government officials, the Swedish monarchs arrived at 11:30 a.m. at the Great Museum of the Mayan World in Mérida to begin a guided tour that included the “El Mayab, Nature and Culture” rooms; “Mayas of today”, “Mayas of yesterday”, and “Ancestral Mayas”. The distinguished visitors were amazed as they delved into the past of this ancient town, to learn more about the current panorama of this culture.
The Kings of Sweden stopped and with great interest asked questions about the different pieces, objects, and garments exhibited, which reflect the daily life of the Mayans of yesterday and today, historical documents from different periods, and other collections with a high thematic content that allow people to learn about the archaeology, anthropology, ethnology and history and customs of the Mayan world in the region.
Once the visit to the museum was concluded, which was also attended by the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Mexico, María Teresa Mercado; They headed to the Mérida International Airport, where the head of the SGG representing Governor Mauricio Vila said goodbye to the royal couple, leaving Yucatecan lands, shortly after noon.
In Yucatán, the royal couple’s agenda included a meeting with Governor Vila Dosal and their respective delegations, at the Hacienda Temozón Sur, located in the municipality of Abalá and, 42 years later, they returned to Uxmal, where after a meeting with Representatives of the Mayan and Yaqui indigenous peoples toured the archaeological zone.
It was the second royal visit to Mexico, after the one made in 1982, when the couple had been married for five years. The queen was 38 years old and the king was 35. On that occasion, they toured Mexican territory from January 18 to 24 and visited the archaeological sites of Chichén Itzá and Uxmal.
Now, the State Visit that sought to strengthen ties between both nations and strengthen and promote economic, commercial, and cultural relations, also had the purpose of celebrating the 139 years of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Sweden.
TYT Newsroom
