The heretofore unknown Mona Ayoub, a multimillionaire of Lebanese extraction and the reported widow of a fabulously wealthy Saudi, hosted an exclusive dinner aboard a yacht for President Mejia and a very small group of guests, which included the US and French ambassadors. Few journalists had access to the event, whose high security measures required that even the official presidential photographer retreat from the area. The impressive yacht, which has been the object of intense curiosity and reportedly valued at US$35 million, was surrounded by both navy and army patrols.