Spain”s Defense Minister Visits U.N. Troops in Lebanon

Spain”s heavily pregnant Defense Minister Carme Chacon visited her country”s troops serving with the United Nations in south Lebanon on Monday.

 

Chacon, more than seven months” pregnant, arrived by helicopter at Miguel de Cervantes base near Marjayoun in the southeast where the 1,100-strong contingent has served with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) since September 2006.

 

She laid a wreath in memory of six Spanish contingent soldiers killed when a booby-trapped vehicle exploded last June.

 

The 37-year-old was accompanied by the commander of UNIFIL, General Claudio Graziano of Italy.

 

It was the minister”s second visit to Spanish troops serving abroad in less than two weeks. On April 19 she made a trip to Afghanistan to meet Spanish soldiers there.

 

Chacon has a medical team traveling with her because of her advanced pregnancy.

 

She is her country”s first woman defense minister. She took office two weeks ago, pledging to boost the number of women in the Spanish armed forces.