Gerry Hadden

Gerry Hadden

Gerry Hadden reports for The World from Europe. Based in Spain, Hadden's assignments have sent him to the northernmost village in Norway to the southern tip of Italy, and just about everywhere else in between.

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Spanish King Apologies After Botswana Elephant Hunting Trip

April 18, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment
Spain's King Juan Carlos (Photo: Estonian Foreign Ministry/Wiki Commons)

Spain's King Juan Carlos (Photo: Estonian Foreign Ministry/Wiki Commons)

Spanish King Juan Carlos addressed his people for the first time since his fall on Wednesday, saying he felt better and is hoping to resume his duties again soon.

Then, looking contrite, he apologized.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I made a mistake. It won’t happen again.”

The King was referring to his Botswana junket, paid for by a wealthy Saudi national who lives in Spain. But Juan Carlos didn’t say what he was sorry for exactly.

Whether for going on the trip to begin with, or for hunting elephants in particular.

He’s come under fire for both.

You can see a video of the King’s Botswana hunting guide shooting a huge elephant from point blank range online. [Warning: This video includes graphic scenes of killing elephants that may not be suitable for all audiences.]

The guide’s picture, alongside the King – and a different dead elephant – has been all over the Spanish press this week.

On Tuesday the board of the World Wildlife Fund in Spain voted unanimously to strip the king of his title as honorary president. Though the Botswana hunt was legal, the WWF said killing elephants goes against its principals.

The uproar has become political too. Union leaders and left wing politicians have been taking shots at the King all week.

Cayo Lara of Spain’s United Left party said he doubted the King has been losing sleep over the fact that thousands of young Spaniards are without work during this crisis.

“How could he, if he’s flying off to Africa to hunt elephants?” he said.

Just last Christmas the King gave a speech calling on citizens to act responsibly as the economic crisis deepened.

And people listened.

The King is generally well respected. His most famous media address – during an attempted coup in 1981 – is credited with saving Spain’s then-fledgling democracy.

But since his Christmas speech last December, things in Spain have only gotten worse.

The country has just re-entered recession. More than one out of two Spaniards under 24-years-old lack jobs. And the government’s borrowing costs have been steadily rising.

The King’s own crisis may abate more quickly, now that he’s said “sorry.”

Until then he’ll likely lay low with family – including his 13-year-old grandson Felipe.

Felipe accidentally shot himself in the foot with a hunting rifle on Monday, while the King was still recovering in the hospital from his own hunting accident.



Discussion

11 comments for “Spanish King Apologies After Botswana Elephant Hunting Trip”

  • http://www.facebook.com/Cotylila Coty Lila

    El Rey León y la más ejemplarizante de sus conductas. Esta familia tiene una vida REALmente ejemplarizante, no se salva ni uno

  • Raquel94

    Hunting is one thing, hunting elephants is another. There aren’t too many people in any country that I know of that promote elephant hunting and/or take it lightly. So the fact that he did that, I can understand people not taking it lightly. I also can’t quite say the WWF took their actions too far because he is the one who over did it by the pictures and hunting guide, especially being at point blank. As far as the trip in general goes, I’m not sure of the story behind that. But I do believe everyone deserves vacation time. Just like our own president in the US, deserves too. We just see it unfit when he goes on far too many as he has a huge obligation to us and shouldn’t be taking so much personal time. Especially with economic crisis. So if it’s like that with Spain, then I agree with the people uproaring.

  • graciela_p

    This is so sad! Elephants are my favorite animal and I can’t believe that this was the king’s pass time. Even though elephant hunting is considered legal, I don’t think he should have done this. As the king, people look up to him and everything he does is publicized. Hopefully people see how much his actions are frowned upon and they won’t do the same thing. What’s even worse is that there are videos and pictures going around of the king and his elephant. The whole situation is terrible.

  • Graciela22

    Este artículo es muy triste. El Rey de España es irresponsable y la situación es ridícula. Me gustan los elefantes y la gente no debe matar los animales. Juan Carlos debe cuidar su país. España tiene problemas económicos y el rey necesita ayudar la gente.

  • estefania94

    This is horrible! Who hunts elephants? Its good he apologized, but its terrible that he allowed it.

  • Margarita63

    Este artículo es muy triste.  Es ridículo que el Rey de España vaya en una viaje que las personas estaban mataron elefantes.  Es muy, muy triste.  El Rey debe decir “lo siento” porque todo es mal.  El rey debe ayudar la gente y no ser la causa de más problemas en el país.   Es loco.

  • Sofia94

    Elephants are my all time favorite animal and I always tear up when I hear about people poaching them. I don’t like any form of hunting whenever I see a fur coat I really do “run” away. I hate it. I bet the people in that country probably think it’s alright to hunt elephants or hunt because of the President. I am kind of glad he was stripped of his duties because of it. It will teach him a lesson, besides hunting elephants is illegal because they’re endangered!

  • Ana94

    Que triste. Si el Rey dice “ser responsible con el dinero” el no debe ir a un viaje y matar los elefantes. Ceo que el Rey necisite decir “lo siento” para matar los elefantes porque no es claro por que el dice “lo siento.”

  • Carmen_03

    The king should definitely be stripped of his title. Hunting for and killing elephants is absolutely ridiculous, I don’t understand how it is not illegal. I love elephants, they are so cute and innocent, how could you even think of killing them, clearly the king has something wrong with him. Also, considering he kept his trip a secret, he obviously did not want the people to find out about it, because he knew he was doing something people would not approve of, so why would he still do it? I really don’t like this guy, I wish he could be but in jail. And as for his grandson Felipe, why was he playing with guns in the first place, someone should be looking after him better, he should also know better then to play with guns, so I think he deserves it, I just wish it was his grandfather who was shot.

  • marta6

    Me lamento mucho que los elefantes sean muertos. Me encantan los elefantes. Son mis animales favoritos. Es terrible y me entristece que el rey mate los elefantes, especialmente durante una crisis de la economía. A pesar de que, no pienso que esta incidente es una reflexión correcta del rey. Usualmente tiene mucho respecto de la gente de España. Esta decisión mala no significa que el rey es un rey malo. Simplemente significa que ha usado el juicio pobre. En el fin del artículo, dice que el nieto del rey ha disparado su propio en el pie. Pero, en sentido figurado, el rey ha disparado su propio en el pie también.

  • MateoP

    Creo que el rey debe disculpar para este incidente. Elefantes todavia viven en una ambiente dificil sin un rey de Europa matandolas. Yo no se por que Espana, un pais avanzada, todavia tiene una monarchia constitucional. Un rey es innecesario si no tiene poder, y si faltan responsibilidades, no es una sorpresa que esta tomando vacaciones. Manda el mal mensaje si el rey esta matando elefantes y hay muchas personas en el pais sin trabajo. Espana sufro mucho en los ultimos anos durante la recesion mundial. Es legal a matar elefantes en Botswana, pero no es etico. Pienso que el WWF hizo una decision justa a quitar el titulo do presidente honoraria del rey.