Obama's daughter spends springbreak in Mexico

The elder daughter of US President Barack Obama is spending her springbreak in the historic Mexican city of Oaxaca in the company of 12 friends, a state police official said.

The young tourists, including 13-year-old Malia Ann Obama, are staying at a downtown hotel in this city famous for its colonial architecture and well-preserved native American traditions, the official said.

"We are here to block access to the hotel by other people and escort the vehicles that are carrying the visitors to tourism sites," the police official told AFP under the condition of anonymity.

Malia Obama and her friend are guarded by 25 US Secret Service agents as well as Mexican police, the official noted.

The group, which arrived in Oaxaca Saturday, has already visited the architectural zone of Mitla and the tree of El Tule believed to have one thousand years.

The sightseeing plan also includes visits to Monte Alban known for its archeological research sites and Oaxaca's famous artisan quarters.