Harare - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe defied a European Union travel ban and flew out of Harare unannounced to join world leaders attending Pope John Paul II's funeral in Rome, state radio announced on Thursday.
The trip was immediately denounced by one of Mugabe's fiercest human rights critics, Roman Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo.
"That man will use any opportunity to fly to Europe to promote himself. The man is shameless," said the archbishop.
State radio said the head of state was accompanied by his acting finance minister, Herbert Murerwa, and a delegation of undisclosed size. It was not confirmed whether his wife, Grace, was among them, but she normally accompanies her husband on all foreign trips.
By going to Rome Mugabe, 81, who has been in power since 1980 independence, defied European Union travel sanctions imposed in 2002 after its observers were barred from disputed presidential elections, at which Mugabe claimed a further six-year term.
His ruling Zanu-PF party last week announced it had gained a two-thirds majority in parliamentary elections similarly marred by allegations of intimidation and massive rigging. - Sapa-AP