Antonio de Oyarzabal

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Antonio de Oyarzabal y Marchesi (born 12 October 1935) is a Spanish diplomat and politician. He served as Spain’s ambassador to the United States from 1996 to 2000, to Denmark from 1994 to 1996, to Japan from 1990 to 1994, and to Ecuador from 1981 to 1983. Earlier in his career he held various government and diplomatic posts, including governor of Tenerife (January–July 1977) and civil governor of Gipuzkoa (1977–1979). He also led Spain’s Diplomatic Information Office (1979–1981) and the International Technical Cooperation group (1985–1989).

Education and early work
Oyarzabal studied at Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland, earned a law degree from the University of Madrid, and attended the Diplomatic School of Spain. He studied languages in Tours and Grenoble, France, and Brighton, England. He began his diplomatic career in 1961 as third secretary to the Spanish Foreign Office and later worked in the Foreign Ministry’s cabinet and in London.

Family background
He was born into a Basque family; his father, Ignacio de Oyarzabal, was a diplomat. His parents were killed during World War II when their train was bombed. He is married to Beatrice Anna Cabot Lodge (since 1961). Beatrice is the daughter of John Davis Lodge and Francesca Braggiotti Lodge, and she has ties to notable American and European families.

Later roles
After his ambassadorial service, he was involved with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Foundation as its president and served as vice president of Elcano Royal Institute, Spain’s leading international relations think-tank.