City removes plaque honouring Brits
A controversial plaque commemorating British colonial forces who died trying to capture a Colombian city has been removed just a week after being unveiled by Prince of Wales.
Charles attended a ceremony in the coastal resort of Cartagena which remembered the thousands who died trying to take the city more than 250 years ago.
But the plaque unveiled by the Prince and Cartagena's major Dionisio Velez in the shadow of the imposing San Felipe fort that withstood British efforts to take it in 1741 provoked strong criticism from opponents, who claimed it did not recognise those who died defending their city against the British.
Charles and Camilla unveil the commemorative plaque at the Fort of San Felipe, Cartagena
Mr Velez has since distanced himself from the plaque following criticism from residents and reportedly asked for the monument, which had been attacked, to be removed.
He also said he had not wanted to "hurt the feelings of people" and "a mayor has to avoid errors, but when it's clear he has made one, he is obliged to rectify it".
The monument, placed near to a statue of the Colombian hero who repelled the attack, had marked "the courage and suffering of all those who died in battle trying to take the city and Fort San Felipe under the command of Admiral Edward Vernon at Cartagena de Indias in 1741".
Around 8,000 British forces died in the 18th-century campaign to capture Cartagena when it was under Spanish rule.
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