Roberto Arias
Encyclopedia
Roberto Emilio Arias known as "Tito", was a Panama
nian international lawyer, diplomat and journalist who was the husband of Dame Margot Fonteyn
. Arias was from a prominent Panamanian political family, whose members had reached the Presidency four times; amongst them, his own father, Harmodio Arias.
in Hightstown, New Jersey
, and at St. John's College, Cambridge. From 1942-1946 he edited his family's newspaper, El Panamá América.
, after divorcing his first wife, with whom he had three children. After his marriage, Arias was appointed as Panama's Ambassador
to the United Kingdom
. In 1959 he and Dame Margot were charged with attempted gun-smuggling from their yacht
off the coast of Panama and he was accused of fomenting a revolt against Ernesto de la Guardia Jr., who was then President. She was immediately deported to England; he took refuge in the Brazilian Embassy for two months before being given safe conduct out of the country. Eventually the charges were dropped and, after a governmental change, the couple were permitted to return to Panama. Documents released in March 2010 by the British government showed that they were both involved in the coup attempt which failed due to a last minute blunder.
. It was widely rumored that the shooting was a result of an affair that Arias was having with Jimenez's wife. Arias was treated for 18 months in British hospitals and spent the rest of his life as a quadriplegic, using a wheelchair. One of the reasons Fonteyn continued to dance so late in life was to pay for Arias's enormous medical bills. Colette Clark, a close friend who worked with Fonteyn on Royal Academy of Dancing galas, said:
and the two were buried on the same day.
In addition to Dame Margot, Dr. Arias is survived by two daughters,and son Roberto Arias, Querube Brillembourg and Rosita Vallarino; two brothers, Harmodio and Gilberto; a sister, Rosario de Galindo, and six grandchildren. -
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
nian international lawyer, diplomat and journalist who was the husband of Dame Margot Fonteyn
Margot Fonteyn
Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias, DBE , was an English ballerina of the 20th century. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of all time...
. Arias was from a prominent Panamanian political family, whose members had reached the Presidency four times; amongst them, his own father, Harmodio Arias.
Early life
Born in 1918, Arias was educated at Peddie SchoolPeddie School
The Peddie School is a college preparatory school in Hightstown, New Jersey, United States. It is a nondenominational, coeducational boarding school located on a 280‑acre campus, and serves students in the ninth through twelfth grades, plus a small post-graduate class...
in Hightstown, New Jersey
Hightstown, New Jersey
Hightstown is a Borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,494.Hightstown was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 5, 1853, within portions of East Windsor Township. The borough became...
, and at St. John's College, Cambridge. From 1942-1946 he edited his family's newspaper, El Panamá América.
Marriage to Fonteyn
In 1955, Arias married the great English ballerina Margot FonteynMargot Fonteyn
Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias, DBE , was an English ballerina of the 20th century. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of all time...
, after divorcing his first wife, with whom he had three children. After his marriage, Arias was appointed as Panama's Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In 1959 he and Dame Margot were charged with attempted gun-smuggling from their yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
off the coast of Panama and he was accused of fomenting a revolt against Ernesto de la Guardia Jr., who was then President. She was immediately deported to England; he took refuge in the Brazilian Embassy for two months before being given safe conduct out of the country. Eventually the charges were dropped and, after a governmental change, the couple were permitted to return to Panama. Documents released in March 2010 by the British government showed that they were both involved in the coup attempt which failed due to a last minute blunder.
Politics
In May 1964 he was elected to the National Assembly, his first venture into active politics. Two months later he was shot in an argument with a friend and former political associate, Alberto Jiménez, on a street corner in a suburb of Panama CityPanama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
. It was widely rumored that the shooting was a result of an affair that Arias was having with Jimenez's wife. Arias was treated for 18 months in British hospitals and spent the rest of his life as a quadriplegic, using a wheelchair. One of the reasons Fonteyn continued to dance so late in life was to pay for Arias's enormous medical bills. Colette Clark, a close friend who worked with Fonteyn on Royal Academy of Dancing galas, said:
People said it was such a tragedy, his being shot. Of course it wasn't a tragedy, because she got what she wanted. Someone to look after and love and lavish with all the devotion and strength of her marvellous character.
Personal life and death
During Fonteyn's absence from Panama on tour as a ballerina, a socialite named Anabella Vallarino would move into the house as his shadow wife and move out again before Fonteyn's return. On the day of Tito's death on November 22, 1989 Vallarino committed suicide by swallowing a bottle of chlorineChlorine
Chlorine is the chemical element with atomic number 17 and symbol Cl. It is the second lightest halogen, found in the periodic table in group 17. The element forms diatomic molecules under standard conditions, called dichlorine...
and the two were buried on the same day.
In addition to Dame Margot, Dr. Arias is survived by two daughters,and son Roberto Arias, Querube Brillembourg and Rosita Vallarino; two brothers, Harmodio and Gilberto; a sister, Rosario de Galindo, and six grandchildren. -