Spain's King Juan Carlos came under fire today for an expensive trip to Botswana to hunt elephants, at a time when the country is facing a major financial crisis.
The situation was further aggravated by an accident that occurred on the trip, due to which the king had to undergo hip surgery.
Doctors said the king was recovering well, but would not be able to fully perform his duties for more than a month.
According to estimates published in Spanish newspapers, hunting trips to Botswana cost more than most Spaniards earn in a year.
For one trip to Botswana to kill an elephant, it is necessary to set aside 44.000 euros, which is about twice more than the average annual salary, according to the daily Pais.
Unemployment in Spain is almost 23 percent, and many investors fear that it could become the next eurozone country to seek an international loan.
The accident that forced the king to rush home on a private plane happened in the Okavango region on Friday, he had his hip replaced on Saturday morning and started walking with crutches this morning.
The newspaper Mundo writes that the king informed the government about his trip only when the accident happened, after four days of hunting.
United Left lawmaker Caio Lara said he would raise the issue of the king's trip in parliament, saying Juan Carlos had shown a "lack of ethics" at a time when many young Spaniards are losing their jobs.
Socialist Party General Secretary Tomas Gomes said it was time for the head of state to choose between state responsibilities and "dependency that allows him to enjoy a different lifestyle."
It is not the first time that 74-year-old Juan Carlos has caused concern for his love of hunting.
In October 2006, the governor of Russia's Vologda region, Vyacheslav Pazgalyov, launched an investigation into allegations that the Spanish king killed a bear while in Moscow, after the animal was fed honey mixed with vodka and then released where the king hunted.
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