Princess Máxima’s father, Jorge Zorreguieta, should be barred from the coronation of Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, his son in law, says Michiel Baud, Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of Amsterdam.
Ten years ago, Professor Baud was asked by Prime Minister Wim Kok to investigate Mr Zorreguieta’s role as Argentina’s deputy agriculture minister during the military rule of General Jorge Videla in the late 1970s, when thousands of people were tortured and killed during the country’s Dirty War.
Ten years on, Mr Baud continues to condemn Mr Zorreguieta’s participation in a regime that was responsible for widespread human rights violations. But more than that, he adds, he is shocked that Mr Zorreguieta has still failed to address the concerns his past have raised in the Netherlands. “What surprises me the most is that, 30 years later, he has never distanced himself in any way from what he did during Videla’s regime”, Professor Baud says. “Apparently, he is still not willing to do so.”
Mr Zorreguieta, aged 83, doesn’t have to pronounce a “mea culpa”, Professor Baud adds. “He could also say: ‘I understand people find this difficult, it wasn’t the easiest period of my life’, or: ‘Perhaps I’d do things differently now.’”
(cl)
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So how come no mention is made of the armed revolutionary groups that plunged the country into the abyss of violence? Fortunately Argentina had professional forces that destroyed after the coup both the ERP and Montoneros forces (10,000 missing according to the communist guerrillas) and their underground supporters in the form of civilians that wanted a communist dictatorship.
Mr.Zorreguieta is now 83 years old and the majority of the Dutch people does not want to bar him from the Coronation of Crown-Prince Willem Alexander.
Mr. Zorreguieta should be present at that event, thus that he can dance at least "un tango bravo" with his family.