Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass had assured she wouldn’t travel abroad if elected mayor in 2022, yet her recent journey to Ghana, occurring while her city faced devastating wildfires, marks her fifth international trip since assuming office.
Bass has encountered considerable backlash regarding her management of the wildfires impacting Los Angeles, which erupted during her attendance at President John Mahama’s inauguration in Ghana earlier this month. This trip, among several taken abroad during her mayoral tenure, contradicted a commitment she made not to engage in international travel if she were elected, according to the New York Times.
“Not only would I obviously reside here, but I also would refrain from traveling internationally — the only destinations I would visit would be D.C., Sacramento, San Francisco, and New York, pertaining to L.A.,” Bass stated to the New York Times in 2021, during her campaign for the role.
Since taking office, Bass has made several foreign visits, including to Mexico City for the inauguration of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and to Paris, France, for last year’s Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
Los Angeles is set to host the 2028 Summer Olympics. As the mayor of the upcoming host city for the Summer Olympics, Bass’s trip to Paris was primarily in that official capacity. During her visits to Paris in August and September 2024, Bass accepted the Olympic and Paralympic flags during the respective closing ceremonies for both events.
In her latest international visit to Ghana, she represented the U.S. government as a member of President Joe Biden’s delegation.
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The wildfires, ignited by a severe windstorm last week, have claimed at least 24 lives and resulted in billions in property destruction as they devastate various areas of Los Angeles, including the wealthy Pacific Palisades.
In light of the criticism surrounding her management of the wildfires, Bass has mentioned that her foremost concern remains the protection of lives.