Topline
What could be a misplaced portray by Pablo Picasso was noticed on the house of Imelda Marcos, the previous first girl of the Philippines and the widow of dictator Ferdinand Marcos–who allegedly embezzled billions of {dollars} from the Philippines earlier than he was ousted–after her son Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gained the presidential election this week.
Imelda Marcos is seen in her condominium in Manila in 2007 with a gallery of work together with a … [+]
AFP by way of Getty Photos
Key Details
After his victory on this week’s election, the household launched photographs of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. celebrating together with his mom at her house, and Picasso’s “Reclining Lady VI” seems on the wall of a sitting room above a settee.
The portray was considered one of eight focused by the Philippines’ authorities in a 2014 seizure of the Marcos’ belongings, however the one seized by the corruption courtroom was later discovered to be a replica, based on Andres Bautista, the previous chairman of the company tasked with recovering the Marcos household’s ill-gotten wealth
A 2019 documentary concerning the Marcos household known as The Kingmaker additionally captured footage of the Picasso after the 2014 seizure, director Lauren Greenfield confirmed.
Key Background
Earlier than Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was ousted from the presidency after a well-liked rebellion in 1986, he’s believed to have embezzled as a lot as $10 billion from the nation’s coffers used to gas a lavish life-style for himself and his household by famously shopping for huge troves of sneakers and jewellery for Imelda, and buying an art collection worth millions, based on the Philippines’ graft and corruption courtroom. A lot of the wealth has not been recovered. Throughout his 21-year-regime, his administration had 70,000 peope detained on subversion expenses, and killed and tortured 1000’s extra, based on Amnesty International. Imelda was convicted of corruption expenses in 2018, although has launched an enchantment. Regardless of his household’s infamous status, unofficial outcomes present Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gained this week’s election by a landslide after a years-long marketing campaign to rehabilitate the household’s picture that critics mentioned relied on mass disinformation.
Additional Studying
Son Of Ex-Dictator Ferdinand Marcos On Cusp Of Successful Philippines Presidential Race (Forbes)
‘Lost’ Picasso spotted in Imelda Marcos’s home after son’s election win (The Guardian)
Who is ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr and why are some Filipinos nervous about his family’s return? (CNN)
