Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil

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Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by maxima89 on Nov 5, 2005, 8:38am

Werkbezoek Prinses Máxima aan Brazilië van 28 november tot 1 december 2005 en aan Argentinië van 4 tot en met 7 december 2005
Hare Koninklijke Hoogheid Prinses Máxima der Nederlanden brengt van maandag 28 november tot en met donderdag 1 december een werkbezoek aan Brazilië en van zondag 4 december tot en met woensdag 7 december aan Argentinië.

Zij doet dit als lid van de Groep van Adviseurs voor het Internationale Jaar van het Microkrediet. De Prinses zal er spreken met vertegenwoordigers van regeringen, centrale banken, private banken, (micro-)financieringsinstellingen, kredietnemers en NGO's. De nadruk ligt op de ontwikkeling van microfinanciering en het toegankelijker maken van de mechanismen voor microkredietverlening voor de bevolking.

De Prinses spreekt in Sao Paolo onder meer met Braziliaanse en Nederlandse bankinstellingen. Ook bezoekt zij in de buitenwijken van de stad projecten van Banco Real en Unibanco. In Nova Trento, bij Florianópolis, brengt zij onder meer een veldbezoek aan klanten van een kredietcoöperatie die werkzaam zijn in de agrarische sector. In de hoofdstad Brasilia spreekt de Prinses met regeringsvertegenwoordigers en de President van de Centrale Bank.

In Argentinië bezoekt Prinses Máxima de provincie Jujuy, waar zij spreekt met Banco Mundial de la Mujer en hun klanten op een markt. In Buenos Aires houdt zij een toespraak over microfinanciering op de Universidad Católica de Argentina. Daarnaast spreekt zij met vertegenwoordigers van financieringsinstellingen en met hun klanten in de buitenwijken van de stad. Ook in de Argentijnse hoofdstad voert zij gesprekken met regeringsvertegenwoordigers en de President van de Centrale Bank.

De Algemene Vergadering van de Verenigde Naties heeft 2005 uitgeroepen tot Internationaal Jaar van het Microkrediet, in de hoop en verwachting dat regeringen, banken, bedrijven en niet-gouvernementele organisaties samen een grote sprong voorwaarts zullen maken op dit gebied. Zij sluit daarbij aan op een van de Millenniumdoelstellingen op ontwikkelingsgebied: halvering van de wereldwijde armoede voor 2015.

De Prinses wordt bij haar reis naar Zuid-Amerika vergezeld door de twee andere Nederlandse VN-adviseurs voor het Internationale Jaar van het Microkrediet, drs. Marilou van Golstein Brouwers, directeur Internationale Fondsen bij Triodos Bank, en Jhr.drs. Diederik Laman Trip, oud-bestuursvoorzitter van ING Nederland.

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Nov 28, 2005, 6:41am

From BRMB, posted by Lotte
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Clarín sent the Princess a questionary through the Dutch Embassy in Argentina, and she accepted to answer exclusively to questions related to microcredit.

Translation:

Máxima Comes In The Name Of The UN To Promote Microcredit

She’s an economist and was asked to travel as a UN advisor, with the aim of stimulating the financing of the poorest.

2005 was designated by the UN as the "international year of microcredit". Argentinean Máxima Zorreguieta, Princess of the Netherlands, was invited to join as a member of the UN’s advisory board to promote this activity all over the world. Máxima, who’s an economy graduate, will arrive on 4 December to Argentina to take part in a series of activities related to microcredit. She’ll participate in a meeting where the NGO Planet Finance will be formally presented. Its representative in Argentina is Alfonso Prat-Gay, former head of Banco Central [Argentina's Federal Reserve Bank]and the Princess’ former teacher at Universidad Católica.

- You have a past professional experience in the financial system. Could one interpret your participation in the promotion of microcredit as a recognition that banks are incapable of attending to the needs of the poorest?

- The fact that the poor don’t have access to financial services tells us that the products of the financial system aren’t adapted to this group of population. Microcredit has a very innovative and interesting aspect. Since it’s very expensive to offer credit or accept very low deposits with the existing distribution chain, not all banks would be in position to offer that kind of service. Yet banks can help. The sector still needs capital and professionalization in many aspects, and those are the areas where the whole banking sector can intervene actively. I decided to collaborate with the UN because I firmly believe that giving credit to a person is to offer him the opportunity to get out of poverty.

- What’s your personal contribution?

- I have worked with the aim of increasing the knowledge and the diffusion of microfinance as an instrument to fight poverty, of informing that it’s not only a charity system, but a system that should be profitable in order to perpetuate, that should have a qualitative and quantitative data base, which can measure the effect of a wider access to financial services in a country’s economical and social development. I have sought private sector support and action and have kept myself informed about the politics that hinder the growth of microfinance sector.

- According to your experience, governments help, hinder or are indifferent to this kind of initiative?

- Available data show that access to financial services has an inverse correlation with their realization by national governments. That is, in countries with strong government-controlled bank entities, access to financial services is very low. It doesn’t mean that the government can’t play a role in favoring the development of this sector, more specifically, by not putting a ceiling on the interest rates charged by those institutions or by trying to make the sector the most competitive possible. Furthermore, not only a stable macroeconomic policy, but also clear property rights and an effective legal system promote to a great extent this sector’s growth.

- Which existing microcredit initiatives have you contributed to or participated in in Argentina?

- Our contribution is actually linked to the sector’s development as a whole. If there are microcredit initiatives that need more funds or more training, of course we’ll try to help them or will connect them with people that can help them.

- What would be the recipe to expand microcredit in Argentina?

- Institutions can start as NGO’s, but soon after they should increase in quantity and quality. And by quality I mean that those institutions should seek efficiency and profitability. Once there are enough entities that take deposits and offer products in an efficient way, we can say that the sector is consolidating. But to that end one needs time, just imagine that it doesn’t change overnight!

Clarin: http://www.clarin.com/diario/2005/11/27/elpais/p-02001.htm

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Nov 28, 2005, 6:43am

From BRMB, posted by Lotte
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The short La Nación interview is the very first given to her homeland media. The daily sent the Princess a questionary per e-mail and she answered to the questions related to the promotion of microcredit, the main axis of her visit to Buenos and Aires and the Province of Jujuy.

Translation:

"I'm overly happy to do something for Argentina"

She'll come to promote microcredit

"In Argentina there's much to do in the microcredit sector, since the country has one of lowest rates of access to financial services of Latin America."

- What do you expect from this first working trip to Argentina?

- I hope I’ll be able to talk with all people involved in the microfinance sector in the country. The idea is to improve public knowledge about what a wider access to financial services means in economic and social development. For instance, we’ll talk with the national microfinance committee, with Banco Central [Argentina’s Federal Reserve Bank], with associations that congregate microfinance institutions, with banks, as well as with government officials and politicians, in order to see how one can help the development of this sector.

- Why did you decide to be part of this advisory board? Were you invited to or did you volunteer?

- I was asked to, but I would have gladly volunteered! I decided to be part of this group because I firmly believe in the positive effect of microfinances as an antidote against poverty for three reasons:

Firstly, because I believe that it’s much better to give people the opportunity to earn their own money, instead of donating money to them. When one is given a microcredit, one is given the opportunity to multiply his efforts to get out of poverty. This person knows better than anybody else how to spend or invest the money and to determinate what he’s most lacking. Moreover, money generated from an established activity means a constant income to the family.

Secondly, the trust placed by the institution lending the money and the generation of his own income dignifies the person. This is very important, because out of it a much valuable chain of respect is formed in that sense: “I’m respected, and because of that, they lend me money, but me too, I have to respect them and pay the money back on time.” And that kind of respect relocates from business to civil order. In Africa, for instance, the fact the women can generate their own income has given them a voice inside their community, something that they didn’t have before. Microfinances bestow the nowadays much talked about “empowernment”.

Thirdly, microfinances have developed in such a way that offering a necessary product to the population in need can also be something profitable. Which means that the sector’s growth won’t depend on donations.

- Is it the first time that you accept to play an advisory role or have you ever done it before?

- Well, this is the first time I work as an advisor to the United Nations, but I have performed as a counselor in other themes, such as the integration of immigrant women in Dutch society.

- Did you ask to travel to Argentina?

- Actually, we decided that with other counselors. In Argentina, there’s much going on in this sector, but there’s still much to be done. The country has one of the lowest rates of access to financial services in Latin America. In order to change a bit this situation, the microfinance sector in Argentina could also learn from other Latin American countries which are in a more advanced stage concerning this theme.

- Would you like to do something for Argentina in your new position?

- I’m of course overly happy to be able to do something for Argentina. And that’s why I’ll be there, for I believe that, if I can add to the development of the microfinance sector in the country, I’ll have contributed with my grain of sand to increase the chance of many Argentineans to escape poverty.

- By means of which mechanisms can the access of population to microcredit be facilitated?

- The microcredit system is a mechanism which differs much from conventional banks. This implies that one has to be where the client is, which often means that one can’t have a branch in every corner, since it’s expensive, especially when we’re talking about very small products, low credits and deposits. That’s why another kind of client approach has to be developed, in order to make access easier. There are many examples, like working with post offices (in the Brazilian Northeast), or having a bus that goes from one place to the other (in Kenya, the Equity Bank) or simply a credit officer that can cover many places and talk with clients. In the Philippines and Bangladesh, money transfers per telephone or PDA are already used. The microcredit system must grow. Right now we have in Argentina between 22,000 and 25,000 clients, which is still few. We lack capital, knowledge, technical experience and a favorable regulatory frame.

- How can microcredit help people?

- Experience has proven that microfinances can help increase the income of the needy. They can help create sustainable businesses for this sector of population and reduce their vulnerability to external impact. Socially, it’s an instrument that grants power to the poor, first and foremost to women, and help them change their situation inside the community. The whole family benefits from the income rise, since one invests in better food, better education, better housing and better health. Finally, it’s about dignifying people, giving them the opportunity to multiply their efforts to get out of poverty. Moreover, clients are also advised on how to increase profit in their businesses.

- How can microcredit help fight poverty?

- The comparative analysis of the increase in annual average poverty rates, the availability of private credits and gross national product in the last 20 years prove that countries with the highest rate of private credit could reduce poverty faster. An example: in Chile, where private credit rate is 54% of GNP, poverty rate decreased 14% between 1987 and 2000. On the other hand, in Peru, where private credit rate is only 13% of GNP, poverty rate increased 19% between 1985 and 2000.

But I always say that microfinances are not a panacea to fight poverty. Many more elements, such as education, health and other infrastructural goods are needed? Microfinances can promote economical growth and all its social detachment through the backing of microentrepreneurs, who are, after all, the motor of economy.

Link: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/exterior/nota.asp?nota_id=759886

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Nov 28, 2005, 11:41am

Colourpress and ANP

São Paulo

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Nov 29, 2005, 12:35pm

Hola como estan! Bueno les cuento si quieren seguir viendo imagenes de Maxi, pueden ir al la edicion de hoy www.estado.com.br y luego en "Visita real" pueden ver la galeria de images de Maxima visitando una favela de Sao Paulo.Espero que lo encuentren y disfruten las diez fotos!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Nov 29, 2005, 4:13pm

grazias!

More pictures (yesterdag and today):

ANP en Colourpress

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Nov 29, 2005, 4:16pm

And more...

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Nov 29, 2005, 4:24pm

And more...

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Nov 29, 2005, 4:29pm

Yesterday evening

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Nov 30, 2005, 10:30am

Today, Colourpress

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Nov 30, 2005, 10:34am

Yesterday, Colourpress

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Nov 30, 2005, 1:32pm

Thank so much, Watcher!!!!

Beautiful pictures indeed!!!

And Thank you agustinagcarrot for the link!!!!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Nov 30, 2005, 3:28pm

Oh you are welcome! I did not realise that this link is in Enghish! I am sorry! And I hope you enjoy this pictures!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Dec 1, 2005, 3:27pm

Quote:

Oh you are welcome! I did not realise that this link is in Enghish! I am sorry! And I hope you enjoy this pictures!

Yes, thanks

Here are more pictures (yesterday and today):

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Dec 2, 2005, 4:57am

Yesterday:

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Dec 4, 2005, 7:25am

Are there already pictures of Máxima and her children in Argentina?

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Dec 4, 2005, 10:25am

Hi there are the last news of Maxima :
http://www.infobae.com/notas/nota.php?Idx=226280&IdxSeccion=100799

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by maxima89 on Dec 4, 2005, 7:13pm

She has finally arrived here!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Dec 5, 2005, 2:06am

Here you can find the first pics of Maxima In Agentina:
http://www.infobae.com/notas/nota.php?Idx=226394&IdxSeccion=100796
Enjoy.

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 5, 2005, 4:50am

She is in Jujuy and later today she is travelling to Buenos Aires.

I must leave to work now, so I do not have time to translate the articles now (I will later today), but here are the links to 2 articles in Spanish, where you can also check some photos of her in Purmamarca.

http://www.lanacion.com.ar/762285
http://www.jujuyaldia.com.ar/index.php?ID=18153

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by maxima89 on Dec 5, 2005, 6:26am

Máxima is so happy!

"Bienvenida Máxima" is "Welcome Máxima"

[image]

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Dec 5, 2005, 10:14am

Here are more photos Of Maxi in Argentina:
http://images.google.nl/imgres?imgurl=http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a1/allabout/Prinses_Maxima_op_Persconferentie_A.jpg&imgrefurl=http://levedekoningin.we b-log.nl/log/3089355&h=248&w=377&sz=11&tbnid=A9EaANmUo2kJ:&tbnh=78&tbnw=119&hl=it&start=68&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPrinses%2BM axima%26start%3D60%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Dit%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Dec 5, 2005, 11:26am

Pictures of yesterday, Colourpress

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Dec 5, 2005, 11:30am

Pictures today, ANP

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Dec 5, 2005, 11:32am

Pictures, AP

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by maxima89 on Dec 5, 2005, 2:03pm

She looks sooooooooooooo happy!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 5, 2005, 2:29pm

Thank you very much for the beautiful pictures, Watcher and Maximafan!!!!!

Promise I will post the translations later today!!!

Video
Post by silvermj on Dec 5, 2005, 11:19pm

In Spanish:
http://www.tn.com.ar/popupclarin.asp?Id_Nota=46471

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by maxima89 on Dec 6, 2005, 8:05am

Máxima has just arrived to the Universidad Católica Argentina.She'll give a speech in 2 hours.
She was wearing a white coat with a brooch.

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 6, 2005, 1:26pm

Sorry I was not able to fullfil my promise yesterday, but lately, and quoting a famous saying (my apologies, I do not recall the authore now) "life is what happens when you are making plans" which lately seems to be what usually happens to me.

Here I start:
From La Nacion,

Maxima, between smiles and popular warmth

As UN adviser she only spent 24 hours in Jujuy and flew to Buenos Aires.

Yesterday, she finished her visit after sharing the knowledge of what microcredits make people accomplish with bankers and journalists.

She arrived at Buenos Aires in the evening, where she will stay til tomorrow as United Nations representative. She did not make promises, just presented the proposal to create a communication channel to make people know this system, that it starting to spread in Argentina, and remarked how these economic tools must be made easily accesible since they are an excellent way to fight poverty in the world.

The princess also believes beneficiaries of these credits must return those loans in order to create an auto-sustentable mechanism.

In accodance with La Nacion sources, during the lunch he shared with Princess Maxima yesterday, governor Eduardo Fellner, made clear the need to prevent official policies to block or interfere with these projects since statal subsidies nowadays are given but they must not be returned.

Maxima Zorreguieta - who came to the country without her husband, prince Willem-Alexander, and her daughters, Amalia and Alexia- had a complete work agenda. She wore a light "animal print" design skirt-, a sand coloured jackect and low sandals (the type known here as Chinese heel sandals). After a extremely hot morning, she changed her outfit and wore a terra cotta suit.

In Perico -30m km south of San Salvador de Jujuy, she met the representatives of the Women World Bank. This is a private organization here, with 1800 clients who have access to $ 300/$ 700 credits; these amount can be returned in daily/weekly/monthly instalments, with a 5/9% interest rate in accordance with each case.

Maxima visited a broom factory, a crisps factory and a local street market. Despite the terrible hot weather she visited several stalls asking the stallkeepers questions and sharing comments and smiles with them and their customers, which provoked a gathering of people which was difficult to control by local and Netherland security agents.

In San Salvador de Jujuy, Maxima met with more employees and directors of the BMM (Women World Bank). She also gave several speeches about microcredits in Spanish, English and Dutch.

In her visit to Jujuy, the future queen of The Netherlands received warm applauses, welcome greetings, craftmanship gifts, Andean crisps, a minibroom ("for my daughter Amalia ", she said), and even face picketers demonstrations. When a TV reporter asked her opinion regarding the extra 40 km her group had to made to avoid the picketers on the route, she gave a very diplomatic answer: "You can always know more (of the province landscapes)" and smiled.

Link to the original article, In Spanish:
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/762469

The little girl that wanted to see the princess
Post by silvermj on Dec 6, 2005, 2:10pm

The girl that become a little nightmare to security agents
She just wanted to see the princess

A little girl, not older than 7, gave a "little" headache to local and The Netherlands security agents yesterday, who were in charge of the Airport security measures at Jujuy International Airport, due to the arrival of princess Maxima, wife of the Dutch Prince Willem-Alexander of Orange. The airport is located 40 km south of the provincial capital city.

The plane that transported Maxima and her group arrived at 16,50, since she was expected at Maimará, where women beneficiary of the microcredits were waiting for her in a festive gathering.

As soon as the princess started to get out of the plane, the little girl was able to skip the heavy security measures, shocking the bi-national security agents, specifically the local ones, in charge of Jujuy Head Superintendent, Néstor Caff*gi; she only wanted to see the princess.

The little one's dream became real when she "froze" steps from the princess, to whom she kept staring in amazement.

The princess, who wore a light yellow shirt and a cinnamon coffee coloured trousers, little make up and wavy blonde hair, approached the little girl and kissed her, a spontaneous gesture that won her the warmth applause of the people that were at the airport waiting for her, and left to visit Maimara.

There she answer a few questions to the press, and answer La Gaceta reporter that the kind of microcredits now availabley in Juluy and in Capital Federal (city of Buenos Aires) are soon going to be available to people all over the country.

Link to original article, in Spanish:
http://www.lagaceta.com.ar/vernotae.asp?id_nota=138705

The importance of Micro-credits
Post by silvermj on Dec 6, 2005, 3:12pm

Maxima Zorreguieta emphasized how important it is for small entrepreneurs to be able to access microcredits.

The princess of The Netherlands, Maxima Zorreguieta, finished yesterday her visit to the province, and answered a few questions to "Jujuy al dia" reporter, remarking the benefits micro-credits generate -new jobs and income- praised the beautiful landscapes of Jujuy and regreted not having enough time to visit more places.

Maxima arrived at Perico at around a 9:30 in the morning, met the Women World Bank authorities as United Nations adviser in the international year of micro credit, and 40 minutes later, the princess started visiting several small businesses that were possible due to the BMM (WWB) loans: she visited a broom factory in La Paz district, where several students greeted her carrying the Institution banner and singing; then she went to the Crisps Factory "Camila" and finally she visited two stalls at the local market of Perico, where clothes and fashion accesories can be bought.

During her visits, Maxima asked the beneficiaries about how they use the money, asked several questions about the growth possiblities those credits opened, if the incipient business are sustainable, what the profits were, and if the interest rate were coherent with the business situation.

The princess, who made people remeber she has a degree in economy, remarked how important it is for people to get access to this kind of credits, that must be easy to pay back, since they will generate jobs and income to the beneficiary families and (the princess) showed interest in knowing how much growth these little business will develop.

With regards of the shortness of her visit, she praised the province landscapes and regretted she could not visit more due to her work agenda but highlighted the affection the people of Jujuy showed her although she did not like the extreme hot during midday.

At the end of her visit, Perico's Mayor gave her a present and she had a longer trip to the airport, since the royal group had to avoid the pricketers block on the main route, and use a local soil pathway, through different farms till the town of Mendieta, where they were able to use the main route to the capital again.

There she met with the BMM authorites and the Province governor gave a dinner in her honor at Altos de la Viña Hotel.

The importance of Micro-credits
Post by silvermj on Dec 6, 2005, 3:14pm

I forgot to post the link to the original article:

http://www.jujuyaldia.com.ar/index.php?ID=18183

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Dec 6, 2005, 3:57pm

Here in M in A and M in A 1 you can find some new pics of Maxima. These photos are In Buenos Aires.
http://images.google.nl/imgres?imgurl=http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a1/allabout/Prinses_Maxima_op_Persconferentie_%20A.jpg&imgrefurl=http://levedekoningin .web-log.nl/log/3089355&h=248&w=377&sz=11&tbnid=A9EaANmUo2kJ:&tbnh=78&tbnw=119&hl=it%20&start=68&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPrins es%2BMaxima%26start%3D60%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Dit%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

I hope you could find the photos!
Enjoy it!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Dec 6, 2005, 3:58pm

Oh excume me again! But If you want to see the photos you need to copy all the link above!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Dec 6, 2005, 3:59pm

Oh excuse me me again! But If you want to see the photos you need to copy all the link above!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 7, 2005, 8:02am

Among protocol and smiles, Maxima spoke about credits

She gave a speech at the UCA (Argentine Catholic University) to bankers and industrialists.

True to her style, she arrived with smiling elegance, but once she started giving her speech, the princess of The Netherlands was not able to hide it was the first one she gave in Argentina, in front of an audience of bankers, industrialists and microcredits intitutions managers of the country.

On the third day of her visit to the country, Maxima went to Argentine Catholic University on 1400 Alicia Moreau de Justo Ave., in her role as adviser of the United Nations, to give a disertation on how to finance small businesses.

Unlike the usual warm and spontaneous behaviour that she shows in every public appearence, Prince William of Orange's wife was nervous and she did not add anything to her 3 pages speech, that she gave in front of Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat -among other personalities- who was seated on the first row.

"A lot of creative and capable people could set off a little business but since they are poor, they do not have access to financial services, which leaves them unable to show their abilities and business spirit", said Maxima, who tried to control her hairdo during the whole speech, unsuccesfully.

Former Argentine Central Bank president, Alfonso Prat-Gray, stayed next to the princess during her visit to the university. Maxima got her degree in Economy in there.

On another part of her disertation, she said that a microcredit beneficiary "does not want a gift but opportunities" and she plead for that credits to be "free of interest rates".

Maxima's outfit had a main place among the conversations of those who came across the royal guest. She wore a greyish suit, a gold pair of earrings and a brooch, completed with a grey bag and grey high heel shoes.

As adviser of the UN, she later went to the Telefonica Foundation in a car, eventhough the building in a few meters away from the University. There she was received by the members of the Argentine microcredit network. She greeted them all and posed for several pictures. "I'm the tallest one, so please some of you come to the front so I won't cover you on the picture" she said to a group of women that surrounded her. Later, she have lunch with the network representatives. The menu: Malbec veal, crusty vegetables and Castilian tortilla. As dessert, Maxima got "orange, rosemary and honey symphony ", and chocolates.

Link to original article:
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/informacionge....&origen=ranking

Note:
Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat is one of the richest (if not the richest) women in the country and the owner of one of the most important company holdings in the country.

Alfonso Prat-Gray was also one of princess Maxima's professor during her time as studuent at UCA

Here, Prince Willem-Alexander is called Principe Guillermo (Prince William) like The Netherlands is always referred as Holanda, like in every Spanish speaking country.

Link to today's video
Post by silvermj on Dec 7, 2005, 8:12am

http://www.tn.com.ar/popup.asp?Id_Nota=46490

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Dec 7, 2005, 9:12am

Thanks for translating the articles, SilverMJ!
It is very interesting! I also often very nervous when I have to give a speech

I think many people have that problem.

Here are some more pictures:

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Dec 7, 2005, 9:17am

New photos there, but I cannot copy them!
Maxima in Argentinie (2) is the title!
Enjoy!

http://images.google.nl/imgres?imgurl=http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a1/allabout/Prinses_Maxima_op_Persconferentie_ %20A.jpg&imgrefurl=http://levedekoningin.web-log.nl/log/3089355&h=248&w=377&sz=11&tbnid=A9EaANmUo2kJ:&tbnh=78&tbnw=119&h l =it%20&start=68&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPrinses%2BMaxima%26start%3D60%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Dit%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Dec 7, 2005, 10:47am

Today

Article: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/informaciongeneral/nota.asp?nota_id=762889

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 7, 2005, 1:39pm

Here is the translation to the article you mention in your post, Watcher:

Maxima finishes her visit with a full agenda.

The princess of Holland met Felisa Miceli, (brand new) minister of Economy; Martin Redrado, Argentina Central Bank president and Daniel Stream, Social Development vice-minister, in order to promote microcredits.

On the last day of her visit to Argentina, promoting microcredits for little businesses, the princess of The Netherlands, Maxima Zorreguieta, met several personalities of (Argentina's) economic world. Among them, Felisa Miceli, minister of economy. The meeting took place on the fifth floor of the Ministry of Economy, and both women analyzed the UN microcredits iniciative.

Earlier, she had met Martin Redrado, Argentina Central Bank president and Daniel Stream, Social Development vice-minister. Maxima said that microfinances institutions (IMF) "must stop working as charity ones" and proposed their incorporation into the economic process, by merging them with cooperative associations, in order to provide credits. "The mentality must be changed. Microfinances are not charity and they have to be part of the economic process ", said Zorreguieta during her meeting with Daniel Stream, Social Development vice-minister, members of the National Development Plan of Development and National Microfinances Programme at Alvear hotel.

Zorreguieta also expressed her concern regarding the rules restricting the arrival of foreign capitals to Argentina and said that those destined to microcredits must be exempted.

Link to original article:
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/762889

I do agree with you about being nervous while giving public speeches, she must be nervous for different factors. First, she was giving it at her former University. Second, eventhough the majority of the media treated her with the respect everybody deserves, some media is certainly dreadful towards her.

Finally, and I must confess I do not know much about protocol, I believe the UN representatives organized this meetings with our former Minister of Economy, who quitted last week, so, no matter how much Felisa Miceli is interested in this project I'm not sure this is at the top of her list, and, to my shame as an Argentine Citizen, this kind or iniciatives are against every government policy in this country during the last century and the current one, since they prefer those institutions to perform "charity work". :-[

The "give the poor a fish but also teach them how to fish it" has never been Argentine politicians motto, I'm afraid. >:(

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Dec 7, 2005, 3:15pm

In this site you can see the first pics of Maxima with Amalia and Alexia in Argentina. They are so cute!
A&M&A
Jarige Amalia (1)
Nog één
A&A&M (2)
M&A&A
http://images.google.nl/imgres?imgurl=http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a1/allabout/Prinses_Maxima_op_Persconferentie_ %20A.jpg&imgrefurl=http://levedekoningin.web-log.nl/log/3089355&h=248&w=377&sz=11&tbnid=A9EaANmUo2kJ:&tbnh=78&tbnw=119&h l =it%20&start=68&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPrinses%2BMaxima%26start%3D60%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Dit%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN
Enjoy!

Royal "power"
Post by silvermj on Dec 7, 2005, 10:11pm

I do not know if the UN would have accomplish this without her present here (and that reminds me of a thread on the other board regarding the "usefulness of royals) and the fact that she really transmitted what the UN wanted to accomplish by promoting microcredits.

But, as starter, La Nación has informed that the restrictions to foreign capitals will not apply as from today to capitals meant to finance microcredits.

I do hope this would be the start of "a change of mentality". But she, or the other UN royal ambassadors should really come more often, if every time they come they achieve, at least, a little goal. At the end, those little goals would sum up and represent a great achievement. I know I am asking a lot by borrowing your royals, but if they can accomplish that, I sincerely plead you to allow them to come.!!!!!!!!

Link to the original article (already posted along with it translation, but now expanded to include these news):

http://lanacion.com.ar/informaciongeneral/nota.asp?nota_id=762889

Microcredits
Post by silvermj on Dec 8, 2005, 6:32pm

Poor people will have an easier access to credits.

After princess Maxima visit

Following princess Maxima of The Netherlands (as UN adviser) suggestion, the (Argentine) Central Bank decided yesterday to eliminate the compulsary 30% deposit over foreign capitals -established by decree 616/05 - a long as those capitals are destined to the microfinance system.

This change was decided by Argentine Central Banik president, Martin Redrado, after meeting yesterday with Princess Maxima. It was the last day of the official visit the future Queen (consort) of The Netherlands to Argentina, as the United Nations adviser.

Maxima will stay in Buenos Aires for a few more days, but not on official visit. Prince William of Orange's wife also met the economy minister, Felisa Miceli. The meeting took place at the Economy Ministry, and it was also attended by Alfredo Mac Laughlin, Finances Secretary, and the Economy legal adviser, Estela Palomeque.

The princess of The Netherlans expressed the need to promote microcredits as a tool to create new jobs and investment.

Her meeting with Redrado started at 10.40 and took place at the BCRA (Central Bank of the Argentine Republic); the princess was accompanied this time by The Netherlands ambassador, Robert Jan van Houtum.

It was notified by the Central Bank authorities that "Following the advise of princess Maxima (as UN adviser), people with low income will have an easier way to access these microcredits that will end up to be a production investment"

Later, Maxima held a brief press conference at The Netherlands embassy, located in Puerto Madero. She expressed her meeting with Miceli was possitive, since the ministress "has a lot of experience in this area". In her opinion, microcredits "are fundamental in a country like Argentina, with a high level of poverty".

"I am Dutch"

Answering La Nacion question regarding the social and politics features of our country, she said she would not express any opinion since she "was not aware of the features of these areas in deep"

"I am Dutch, although I was born in Argentina", Maxima said.

In her busy agenda. she also find the time to have lunch with senators Rodolfo Terragno, Jorge Capitanich and Carlos Reutemann and the deputy Oscar Lamberto.

Original Article (in Spanish):
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/763125

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 8, 2005, 9:03pm

Due to a misunderstanding raised at the Royal Forums, I do believe you might read this post I made there in order to understand Maxima's comments regarding her national status and one of my posts here yesterday:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/340621-post178.html

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 9, 2005, 6:56am

Article on Hello Magazine Website:

http://hellomagazine.com/royalty/2005/12/09/princessmaxima/

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by maxima89 on Dec 9, 2005, 8:40am

thanks for all the articles SilverMJ!!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Dec 10, 2005, 6:08am

Yes, thanks!

Here are some more pictures of visit to Brazil and Argentina: http://www.royalportraits.nl/BraArgmenu_eng.htm

And Amalia's birthday: http://www.royalportraits.nl/Amalia2_eng.htm

8-)

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Dec 12, 2005, 5:47am

For more and big pictures of Máxima, W-A and kids, see 'The Prince and Princess of Orange - News 1' (forum News and articles)

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by ardilla on Dec 12, 2005, 4:27pm

I´m so dissapointted with Maxima saying she is dutch and that Argentina, is maybe somewhere in her heart!!!!!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Dec 12, 2005, 5:15pm

Copy of my TRF-answer
-------------------------------
According a Spanish member of BRMB (manuel) she said:"I am from Holland (soy holandesa) and a Princess of Holland (una Princesa de Holanda), although I was born in this country and I will always have it in my heart"

A diplomatic answer I think. The people from The Netherlands would not be happy if she told the journalists that she is still argentinian in first place. She is going to be the Dutch Queen, so The Netherlands should be her country now.

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 12, 2005, 9:42pm

I have posted the link to the exchange of information on TRF above.

As Watcher said, it was an excellent diplomatic answer from her. She did not say "I am from Holland" but "I am Dutch, a princess from Holland who was born in Argentina".

She did not deny her Argentine background (so here, we were not offended at all) but she is aware of her responsabilities, duties and choices she has/has made.

Of course, that phrase taken out of the context seems to be as if she is denying her past, when, IMHO, she loves her native country and her adoptive one in the same deeply way.

Link to that explanation:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/340621-post178.html

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Dec 13, 2005, 4:00pm

Hi to all. First I think that Maxima was a fantastic ambassador of our country. But in this last visit in Argentina she demonstrate that she is very arrogant and bad educated with the press. And of course I am going to tell you why.
First of all she was visiting Argentina as a member of the UN, she is involving in a project that has the concrete objective of eradicate the poverty. The Argentinian press ask her what does she think about the "planes trabajar" that are the concrete instruments that are now using in Argentina to eradicate the poverty. And she answer she prefers not answer about some topic she does not know.
If she is a UN member and she is involving in a project that has a concrete proposal of eradicate the poverty, at least she should study about the methods been implemented in this moment in the country she visited(In this case Argentina which is her country). I know exactly how is the Argentinian press but in this case I think the problem is of her.
I ask Why she do not adress in this way to the dutch press? I saw lot of interviews and she is really polite!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by ardilla on Dec 13, 2005, 4:51pm

I completly agree with you Agustina!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Dec 13, 2005, 6:00pm

I have been living in Switzeland for four years and I know the meaning of "planes trabajar", that i think is general culture. So if she is a UN Advisor she should have this knowledge.

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by maxima89 on Dec 13, 2005, 7:49pm

Quote:

I have posted the link to the exchange of information on TRF above.

As Watcher said, it was an excellent diplomatic answer from her. She did not say "I am from Holland" but "I am Dutch, a princess from Holland who was born in Argentina".

She did not deny her Argentine background (so here, we were not offended at all) but she is aware of her responsabilities, duties and choices she has/has made.

Of course, that phrase taken out of the context seems to be as if she is denying her past, when, IMHO, she loves her native country and her adoptive one in the same deeply way.

Link to that explanation:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/340621-post178.html

Totally agree with you.

We(the argentinians) like it or not, Máxima is dutch, princess of the netherlands and was born in Argentina(she said she has it in her heart).

I've never seen Máxima so happy on an official visit as she was when she visited Argentina

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 13, 2005, 8:27pm

With all due respect, do you really know what "planes trabajar" are right now?

Because "planes trabajar" are not longer on "demand"/"offer". The ones on demand/offer are the ones called "planes jefes de familia"

What people receive through them is money to cover basic needs (mainly food) as long as he/she (the head of the family) is able to demonstrate they don't have a job. IMHO, that's exactly the opposite of what the UN wants to achieve.

Money delivered through "planes jefe de familia" must not be returned, since it is "charity money" that helps those families to survive but not to get a steady income, better means of education, clothes,etc. (By means of education I do not mean private school but children that actually go to school to learn with materials to do so (notebooks, pens, books) not just for food, as a lot of children currently do.

Not exactly the UN aim, but politicians here do get "compulsary" votes with them (and I don't even want to even mentions picketers! ::)

Although journalist tried in Jujuy and she gave another example of diplomacy as answer, IMO

On the other hand, I have seen the brief press conference she gave, and she was very polite, eventhoungh some journalists were trying to get the comment they wanted from her, that would have created tabloid headlines, without any doubt.

As a UN ambassador, her aim is to promote how people could improve (living conditions, education, let not forget self confidence and self steem, etc) with microcredits, not to start a political debate, facing our country authorities.

Furthermore, since she is the future queen consort of a foreign country, that kind of comment here would have lead to a less than nice diplomatic situation, something Argentina does not need right now. Our goverment has generated enough lately on its own. (check our newspapers on line: for starters. the current diplomatic situation with several Latin American countries after the recent summint in Mar del Plata, or the current one with France).

When those questions were uttered, journalists only had one objective in mind, and it was political. She really had a great control of the situation, and gave them the "politically correct" answers - if you wish to see them that way- but the ones that did not cause any nasty problems among the 3 parties involved: Argentina, The Netherlands and the UN.

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 13, 2005, 9:50pm

To Maximafan

I must be writing my answer my reply to Agustinacarrot and Ardilla comments, at the same time you were posting your reply.

Quote:

We(the argentinians) like it or not, Máxima is dutch, princess of the netherlands and was born in Argentina(she said she has it in her heart).

I've never seen Máxima so happy on an official visit as she was when she visited Argentina

My same opinion.

She always looks happy, but I believe when she visits us her heart is in her smile as it is in The Netherlands.

On the other hand, here is the translation of the article you mentioned above, regarding Princess Maxima Women Polo Cup

During a torunament named after her.
Maxima enjoyed Polo in Hurlingham
The princess attended with her family.

A sunny, windy and sometimes light rainy afternoon, brought a special guest to the Hurlingham Club.

The princess of The Netherlands, Maxima Zorreguieta, was there yesterday with her family in order to enjoy a women Polo match in a tournament that carries her name. Wearing cream colour trousers, olive green jacket and white sunglasses, the Argentinean handed the Princess Maxima Cup to the winner team - La Hawaiana -, and a $ 10.000 (pesos) check the promoters of the tournament had donated, to Fraternidad de Ayuda al Niño (Aid the Child Fraternity - will explain what it is below).

Maxima arrived at Hurlingham one hour prior to the main match, in order to see her aunt and wedding godmother, Marcela Cerruti, playing during the match her team "La soñadora" played for the Subsidiary Cup. Her husband, Prince William, her daughters, Catharina-Amalia, and her parents, Maria del Carmen and Jorge Zorreguieta joined her at Field 1 tribune.

Later, she was concentrated following the match on which La Hawaiana defeated Arelauquen with a score of 6-5. Jorge Zorreguieta used to play Polo there, and she (Maxima) was a member of the club as a child. She has recently gave permission to the Club Board to name the tournament after her. With her customary low profile and surrounded by those she loves, the princess enjoyed a special afternoon.

Link to original article: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/763681

Explanation: the organization that received the money provides food (breakfast, lunch and the customary meal at teatime) to children attending a school in a low income area at the school canteen, which remains open during the summer/winter holidays.

And the press (as most of us, eventhough we understand she is now Dutch) still considers her Argentine.

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Dec 14, 2005, 4:38am

Yes, thank you I know the exaxtly meanings!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by agustinagcarrot on Dec 14, 2005, 4:43am

Yes, thank you I know the exaxtly meanings of "planes trabajar" and "planes jefes de familia"! And I know the argentinian situation! And the pess ask to Maxima about the planes trabajar that I explain above what exactly are!

Video
Post by silvermj on Dec 14, 2005, 1:51pm

To Watcher in particular:
In answer to your question on TRF, the video was not put on line since her aswer was not what the journalists wanted, and they preferred people to wonder what she said, infering that she really said "I am not Argentine".in order to start attacking her again, which already they have started.

Please take into account the News Network that made availabe the other videos of her visit but not the one regarding the "I'm Dutch" comment, belongs to the same company this newspaper does. The article is two days old:

"...
And this week finishes with the visit of the Dutch/Argentine princess who also went to the limbo in search of a crown.
Diana Spencer look alike of the century XXI -all smile, white teeth, tall, blond -- and we hope that with better faith, Maxima Zorreguieta defined herself as a "Dutch who was born in Argentina".

Back to the limbo. Maxima, that needs desperately to be considered Dutch in order to become a Queen, so she mataphysically has become a Dutch. A Dutch that was born in Argentina as she could have been born in Madagascar or Guinea. But enterely Dutch.

None of double nationality, etc. She is Dutch, by divine right, being born here was a mere accident, like it was being educated here or spending most of her life here.

To sum up to renegade (of your past) in order to rule.

Original post in Spanish:
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2005/12/11/sociedad/s-04710.htm

Despite of the fact that the author of the article in completely ignorant >:(

(he is almost stating Maxima will seize The Netherlands throne in order to rule

:-X. Well, what do you expect of the newspaper that posted the end of Harry Potter and the half blood prince the same day of its International Release in English -the book was also release en English that day here, publish not proved rumours, etc), he is completely disrespectful of people from other countries, etc. BUT he was very careful not to state she have said "I'm not Argentine" since that would have cost the holding that own both media (TN news network and Clarin) a Lawsuit due to slender utterances.

And on another article today, one of their colaborators states that subsidies are better than the microcredits Maxima helped the UN to promote, changing sense the UN is presenting them. Sorry, I do not have the time right now to translate it now. Maybe google would help you to read it in English:

http://www.clarin.com/diario/2005/12/14/opinion/o-02702.htm

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 14, 2005, 2:47pm

Quote:

Well, what do you expect of the newspaper that posted the end of Harry Potter and the half blood prince the same day

I intended to say the same week not the same day. My apologies.

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by maxima89 on Dec 14, 2005, 6:52pm

TO THE ARGENTINIAN MEMBERS: Buy "CARAS" magazine..it has lots of pictures(photoshoot in Puerto Madero, speech in the UCA, Máxima and W-A and girls watching polo,etc).at least 12 pages!!

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 14, 2005, 7:30pm

Thanks for the tip!!!!!

For those who do not live here (but I do believe the magazine is sold abroad), this is the cover:

http://www.caras.uol.com.ar/edicion_1249/seccion_tapa.htm

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by maxima89 on Dec 15, 2005, 7:26am

There are some pictures that i took(i don't have scanner :'(

) from this weeks CARAS magazine.

Máxima holds Alexia, while Willem-Alexander looks at them ^heart^
[image]

Nice pics of Amalia :wub:
[image]

Amalia with Marcela Cerutti on a horse
[image]

Máxima and W-A are still so in love :rolleyes:
[image]

Marcela Cerutti, Martín Zorreguieta and Inés Zorreguieta
[image]

Inés talks with W-A.Máxima takes care of baby Alexia
[image]

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by silvermj on Dec 15, 2005, 8:04am

Great pictures, Maximafan!!! Thank you for your time and effort!!!!

Little queenie to be, Catharina-Amalia is so lovely!!!. So is little princess Alexia, but her older sister "stole"

the spotlight!.

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by ardilla on Dec 16, 2005, 6:36pm

Excuse but I completly agree with what it´s been said in Clarin.
Believe I was a real fan of Max, until this visit.

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by letizia on Dec 16, 2005, 7:28pm

Excelent pics thanks for post it.

Re: Máxima will visit Argentina & Brazil
Post by thewatcher on Dec 17, 2005, 5:55am

Thanks SilverMJ for your message.

I still think it was a perfect diplomatic answer. But that's my opinion

Thanks for the pictures btw. They are really cute, I love the one of Amalia and Marcela on a horse

BTW. Queen Beatrix, Willem-Alexander and Máxima will visit Argentina in March 2006. State Visit from The Netherlands to Argentina.