Death of Jorge Zorreguieta, Queen Máxima's Father: August 8, 2017

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by Hannelore

How was Jorge Zorreguieta percieved in Argentina these past years? Did he ever face legal investigation for the role in played in Videla's mass murders?

This article gives an answer. There was no proof he knew about those crimes but investigations concluded that he was too high up in the system not to know, or unlikely not to know.
On that basis he was not allowed to attend WA's & Maxima's wedding, in further years the DRF became more relaxed about it, as JZ usually attended family events for the public to see.
Jorge Zorreguieta, father of Netherlands Queen Maxima dies aged 89 | Obituaries | News | Express.co.uk

Whatever he did or didn't do or knew or didn't know, he was Maxima's father and she will miss him dearly. There will be others to judge him now.

[carlota]

sad news for maxima, although at least this happened in a quiet time of the year (summer) for the royal family, so that maxima could freely travel at the right time to be with her dad and with her family in his last days. it would have been trickier for the royal household had it happened when maxima's schedule is busy, given that argentina is a long flight away of 12 hours or more from europe. at least now maxima, WA and the girls can go to argentina to be at the funeral.

did jorge get to see his granddaughters much lately? i assume given his condition he wouldn't travel to the netherlands much, so probably maxima brought the girls to see their grandparents.

a picture of maxima with her dad during maxima's latest official visit to buenos aires.

[Moonmaiden23]

He lived a very long life, but it's painful to lose a beloved parent at any point no matter what.

So sad for Queen Maxima and her family.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Interesting excerpts from an article in NRC/Handelsblad:

[...]

Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta Stefanini was born in 1928 as a descendant of Spanish-Basque and Italian immigrants and son of a banker. In the Netherlands, he became known as State Secretary (1976-1979) and Minister (1979-1981) of Agriculture and Livestock during the dictatorship of General Videla. This led Zorreguieta to lead Argentina's main export sector (grain, meat) during a black period in the country's history. During the dictatorship, according to human rights organizations, about 30,000 people were killed by the state.

In retrospect, Zorreguieta's influential position in the Argentinian regime contains an important irony, Argentinian journalists Gonzalo Álvarez Guerrero and Soledad Ferrari wrote in their book on the Zorreguieta family history. It was that position that closed the doors of the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam during the Royal Wedding of his fourth daughter and the Prince of Orange in 2002. But thirty years earlier, the same position in Buenos Aires had opened his doors to his distinghuised family-in-law, the Cerruti Carricarts.

Initially, María del Carmen ("Carmenza") Carricart Cieza, Jorge's future mother-in-law, had no good word for Zorreguieta. Someone who did not finish his chemistry study. An insignificant man at a customs office in the port of Buenos Aires. Someone who had "just as much soil as fits in a flower box". A seducer who lived illegally with her beautiful daughter María del Carmen (because Jorge was officially married to his first wife, Marta López Gil). And then: Jorge was sixteen years older than her daughter.

Carmenza's attitude softened considerably when Zorreguieta, in addition to his customs work, became increasingly successful in managing the interests of Argentinean landowners at government agencies in the 1970s. He became involved in this sector by previous business interactions on the estate of his first in-law family. Step-by-step Jorge was allowed to come on ever more posh occasions. The fact that he had a Roman-Catholic baptism for (his officially out-of-wedlock born) daughter Máxima in 1971 did not harm Carmenza's devotion either.

[...]

The former correspondent Jan Thielen, who was the only journalist to talk with Zorreguieta for a biographical sketch, called his role in the dictatorship "essential". Not only did 'El Zorro' ('The Fox') cross the world for grain contracts that gave the military junta the much needed currency for the leaping economy. A fabulous business deal with then-communist Moscow also caused the Russians spoke a few words in favour of the military junta in the UN Human Rights Committee, says Thielen.

According to Zorreguieta's good friend Mario Cadenas Madariaga, Máxima's father worked "very shrewd and smart" in his negotiations and could succeed because he was "so terribly sympathetic." About the repression by the generals he said: "Of course, Jorge Zorreguieta was aware of the disappearances. We all knew it."

[....]

The new social and political status and standing also meant: new schools for to the children. The three daughters of Zorreguieta's first marriage went to normal schools, the successful Zorreguieta spared no expense to deliver his "better I", as he called Máxima, a jeunesse dorée. It became a posh English-speaking school, Northlands College, in a suburb of Buenos Aires. The choice for this institution was, in retrospect, the most important investment of Zorreguieta in the future of his fourth daughter. During the last year at Northlands Máxima became friends with Cynthia Kaufmann. It was this Kaufmann who presented Máxima to the Prince of Orange, during the Feria de Abril in Sevilla, Spain, in 1999.

[....]

The band between Jorge Zorreguieta and "his favorite", as Argentine journalists Gonzalo Álvarez Guerrero and Soledad Ferrari wrote about Máxima, survived the painful period in the run-up to the Royal Wedding in 2002.

Former Prime Minister Kok told Máxima's parents that they were not welcome at the Wedding. Both have shed tears on hearing a bandoneón playing the sounds of Adiós Nonino. Father Jorge and mother María del Carmen were in the Ritz Hotel in London, where they saw their daughter Máxima in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, amongst hundreds of guests and watched by millions of television viewers.

Afterwards, father and daughter would see each other regularly, out of the sight of cameras, as if it were a secret relationship. Later it became more relaxed, as in the case of Máxima's 40th birthday or that of Willem-Alexanders 50th birthday in April this year. Also father and mother Zorreguieta occasionally stayed at Villa De Eikenhorst in Wassenaar, to babysit on their royal grandchildren. The dismay that Argentine victims of human rights still showed in 2007 when Zorreguieta appeared in public with Queen Beatrix at the baptism of Princess Ariane, has faded away. Máxima herself took more and more freedom to emphasize the meaning of moments of proximity to her father. During the Christmas holidays at the Argentinian resort of Villa La Angostura in 2014, the Queen called her father's presence there: "My greatest Christmas present".

Link: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2017/08/09...48035-a1569359

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by carlota

[...]

did jorge get to see his granddaughters much lately? i assume given his condition he wouldn't travel to the netherlands much, so probably maxima brought the girls to see their grandparents.

a picture of maxima with her dad during maxima's latest official visit to buenos aires.

In May the Zorreguietas joined the King and Queen, the three Princesses, Princess Beatrix and others in Salzburg, Austria, for a continuation of the King's 50th birthday festivities.

Of course Jorge and María's youngest son lives in Vienna, Austria. Earlier this year Máxima visited her Alma Mater, the Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina Santa María de los Buenos Aires, an a proud but frail-looking Jorge came to listen to a keynote speech held by his daughter, Queen Máxima.

[dbarn67]

Condelences to Maxima and the Zorreguieta family.

[Iza Borowiec]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Zorreguieta

In this page is writting that Martin and Juan have issue. Someone know more about that?

[Mari-Anne]

Oh, very sad news! He lived a long life but no one can prepare you for a loss of your loved ones, it always comes unexpected. My deepest sympathies to Queen Maxima and her family.

[queenofcelts]

My condelences to the family....May he rest in peace

[polyesco]

article on Maxima's dad passing away
Father of Queen Maxima of The Netherlands dies from cancer | Daily Mail Online

[Duc_et_Pair]

The funeral will be today already, following Argentinean custom. The King, Queen Máxima, the Princess of Orange, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane will attend.

[HereditaryPrincess]

My condolences to Queen Maxima and her family. It's good that Maxima was there when he passed away.
I wonder if the rest of the family will also go to Argentina soon or if they will wait until the funeral (I apologise if this has already been stated).

[ashelen]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

The funeral will be today already, following Argentinean custom. The King, Queen Máxima, the Princess of Orange, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane will attend.

Did the King and the daughters were already in Argentina, or she travel first. Just wondering if he passed on Tuesday , Holland is not around the corner from Argentina , it is in fact a long flight, How will they make it in time for funeral?
My Condolences to Maxima!

[4Pam]

My condolences to Queen Maxima and her family. May He RIP.

[SoleS]

Originally Posted by ashelen

Did the King and the daughters were already in Argentina, or she travel first. Just wondering if he passed on Tuesday , Holland is not around the corner from Argentina , it is in fact a long flight, How will they make it in time for funeral?
My Condolences to Maxima!

Actually, they didn't. The funeral has been posponed until tomorrow so they can be there.
https://www.clarin.com/sociedad/muri...HJck6P_w-.html

[Al_bina]

Condolences to Queen Maxima and her family.

[carlota]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

Interesting excerpts from an article in NRC/Handelsblad:

[...]

Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta Stefanini was born in 1928 as a descendant of Spanish-Basque and Italian immigrants and son of a banker. In the Netherlands, he became known as State Secretary (1976-1979) and Minister (1979-1981) of Agriculture and Livestock during the dictatorship of General Videla. This led Zorreguieta to lead Argentina's main export sector (grain, meat) during a black period in the country's history. During the dictatorship, according to human rights organizations, about 30,000 people were killed by the state.

In retrospect, Zorreguieta's influential position in the Argentinian regime contains an important irony, Argentinian journalists Gonzalo Álvarez Guerrero and Soledad Ferrari wrote in their book on the Zorreguieta family history. It was that position that closed the doors of the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam during the Royal Wedding of his fourth daughter and the Prince of Orange in 2002. But thirty years earlier, the same position in Buenos Aires had opened his doors to his distinghuised family-in-law, the Cerruti Carricarts.

Initially, María del Carmen ("Carmenza") Carricart Cieza, Jorge's future mother-in-law, had no good word for Zorreguieta. Someone who did not finish his chemistry study. An insignificant man at a customs office in the port of Buenos Aires. Someone who had "just as much soil as fits in a flower box". A seducer who lived illegally with her beautiful daughter María del Carmen (because Jorge was officially married to his first wife, Marta López Gil). And then: Jorge was sixteen years older than her daughter.

Carmenza's attitude softened considerably when Zorreguieta, in addition to his customs work, became increasingly successful in managing the interests of Argentinean landowners at government agencies in the 1970s. He became involved in this sector by previous business interactions on the estate of his first in-law family. Step-by-step Jorge was allowed to come on ever more posh occasions. The fact that he had a Roman-Catholic baptism for (his officially out-of-wedlock born) daughter Máxima in 1971 did not harm Carmenza's devotion either.

[...]

The former correspondent Jan Thielen, who was the only journalist to talk with Zorreguieta for a biographical sketch, called his role in the dictatorship "essential". Not only did 'El Zorro' ('The Fox') cross the world for grain contracts that gave the military junta the much needed currency for the leaping economy. A fabulous business deal with then-communist Moscow also caused the Russians spoke a few words in favour of the military junta in the UN Human Rights Committee, says Thielen.

According to Zorreguieta's good friend Mario Cadenas Madariaga, Máxima's father worked "very shrewd and smart" in his negotiations and could succeed because he was "so terribly sympathetic." About the repression by the generals he said: "Of course, Jorge Zorreguieta was aware of the disappearances. We all knew it."

[....]

The new social and political status and standing also meant: new schools for to the children. The three daughters of Zorreguieta's first marriage went to normal schools, the successful Zorreguieta spared no expense to deliver his "better I", as he called Máxima, a jeunesse dorée. It became a posh English-speaking school, Northlands College, in a suburb of Buenos Aires. The choice for this institution was, in retrospect, the most important investment of Zorreguieta in the future of his fourth daughter. During the last year at Northlands Máxima became friends with Cynthia Kaufmann. It was this Kaufmann who presented Máxima to the Prince of Orange, during the Feria de Abril in Sevilla, Spain, in 1999.

[....]

The band between Jorge Zorreguieta and "his favorite", as Argentine journalists Gonzalo Álvarez Guerrero and Soledad Ferrari wrote about Máxima, survived the painful period in the run-up to the Royal Wedding in 2002.

Former Prime Minister Kok told Máxima's parents that they were not welcome at the Wedding. Both have shed tears on hearing a bandoneón playing the sounds of Adiós Nonino. Father Jorge and mother María del Carmen were in the Ritz Hotel in London, where they saw their daughter Máxima in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, amongst hundreds of guests and watched by millions of television viewers.

Afterwards, father and daughter would see each other regularly, out of the sight of cameras, as if it were a secret relationship. Later it became more relaxed, as in the case of Máxima's 40th birthday or that of Willem-Alexanders 50th birthday in April this year. Also father and mother Zorreguieta occasionally stayed at Villa De Eikenhorst in Wassenaar, to babysit on their royal grandchildren. The dismay that Argentine victims of human rights still showed in 2007 when Zorreguieta appeared in public with Queen Beatrix at the baptism of Princess Ariane, has faded away. Máxima herself took more and more freedom to emphasize the meaning of moments of proximity to her father. During the Christmas holidays at the Argentinian resort of Villa La Angostura in 2014, the Queen called her father's presence there: "My greatest Christmas present".

Link: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2017/08/09...48035-a1569359

thanks for the translations! this is indeed an interesting description of jorge's life and of his relationship with maxima.

i am sure maxima is feeling his loss, as we all would. i did not know they stayed in london for the royal wedding. HOLA reported that maxima and WA joined them directly after the wedding to celebrate with them. a part of me wonders if maxima regrets her decision of proceeding with her wedding knowing her father and mother were not allowed to be there on such a special day for her.

[Prisma]

My condolences to Queen Maxima and her family.

[ashelen]

Originally Posted by SoleS

Actually, they didn't. The funeral has been posponed until tomorrow so they can be there.
https://www.clarin.com/sociedad/muri...HJck6P_w-.html

Thank you! I am surprised they were able to postpone. In Argentina you have 24 hours to buried somebody, It is not custom to keep the body in freezer until family decide the buriel day. It is automatic.
But I guess they could manage one extra day!


Máxima tristeza: el minuto a minuto de la familia real en Buenos Aires - Caras

here in English
https://translate.google.com/transla...uenos-aires%2F

[lucien]

Originally Posted by ashelen

Thank you! I am surprised they were able to postpone. In Argentina you have 24 hours to buried somebody, It is not custom to keep the body in freezer until family decide the buriel day. It is automatic.
But I guess they could manage one extra day!


Máxima tristeza: el minuto a minuto de la familia real en Buenos Aires - Caras

here in English
https://translate.google.com/transla...uenos-aires%2F

What a totally besides the thruth BS article!La prensa pulp of Argentina...again...
Not your fault Ashelen.