Portuguese government minister mugged in Rio

Rio de Janeiro : Portugal's education minister has been mugged in an upscale Rio district, media reports and police in the Olympics host city said Sunday.

The tourist division of the civil police said in a statement that "a minister of a foreign state" was attacked Saturday in Ipanema.

A 26-year-old man was arrested along the beach front and the victim's belongings were returned to him, the statement said.

Portuguese newspaper DN reported on its website that the Education Minister Tiago Brandao Rodrigues was assaulted at knife point by two men demanding his money and cellphone. Theminister had been watching Olympic cycling, the report said.

"It was a fright," his spokesman, who was present during the incident, was quoted as saying on dn.pt. "But everything is OK."

Portuguese authorities did not respond immediately to requests for comment.