Yucatán mourns the passing of its greatest Carnaval King
The passing of Marcelo Sanguinetti — the Carnaval King best known as Jacarandoso I — was announced on social media by family members. He was 74.
In Spanish, jacarandoso loosely translates as joyful, jovial, or outgoing.
Sanguinetti was well-loved across Yucatán for heading massive floats and bringing joy to millions of people at Mérida’s Carnaval celebrations for over 40 years.
“Fly high, Jacarondoso, because today there will be a party in heaven,” wrote Sanguinetti’s niece, Karen Sanguinetti, on Facebook.
Earlier: Mérida’s Carnaval to make a huge comeback in 2023 with citywide celebrations
Sanguinetti’s passing is also being publicly mourned by several public figures including Mérida Mayor Renan Barrera. In a statement, Barrera recalled how impressed he had been by Jacarandoso as a young child.
Jacarandoso I became a fixture of Mérida’s Carnaval celebrations back in 1980 thanks to his exuberant personality, out-of-this-world wardrobe, and ability to connect with folks from every walk of life.
He was Mérida’s official King of Carnival in 1980 and 2000, but even when he was “simply participating” in the parade, he was seen as the true king as his efforts outshone even the reigning monarchs.
In 2019, Mérida’s Carnaval committee awarded Sanguinetti a lifetime achievement award and announced the opening of an exhibit in Mérida’s museum featuring several photographs and some of his most iconic costumes.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer and adventure leader. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
